A new study has found that a combination of two drugs could enhance the immune system to treat one of the most common types of cancer in the world, bowel cancer. Also known as colorectal cancer, despite its widespread presence, the treatment options for this condition are limited. What the study specifically found was that this procedure could shrink the tumours caused by this condition by around 60%.

What Are The Drugs Involved

The trial involved the use of two immunotherapy drugs, botancilimab and balstilumab. It is a monoclonal antibody that works to stimulate the body's immune system to attack cancer. The study is a rather significant find, as it’s the first time that a consistent and durable response to immunotherapy has been reported in patients with solid MSS mCRC tumours.

The study was divided into several phases for more than 6 months. In the US trial, around around 101 patients with microsatile stable metastatic colorectal (MSS-mCRC) tumours showed a decrease . Around 61% of the patients experienced tumour shrinkage or stabilization after combined treatment with votancilumab and balstilumab. When it comes to downsides, diarrhea and fatigue were found to be the most common side effects or side effects of this drug.

These results are interesting and open to exploration. To date, immunotherapy has not been effective in patients with CNS-mCRC tumors. This study demonstrates the potential of the combination of botenlimab and balstilimab in the treatment of CNS mCRC, providing new hope for people diagnosed with colon cancer.

What Could This Mean For Bowel Cancer Treatment In The Future

The study is currently in the final stages of clinical trials, and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hopes to quickly gain approval for its use because of the importance of this area that affects many people. The efficiency shown demonstrates the potential of botansilimab to contribute to broad antitumor immunity.

All in all, the combination of botensilimab and balstilimab represents a promising new direction in the treatment of colorectal cancer. This breakthrough could improve conditions for many patients worldwide and lights a new hope in the fight against this common disease. The results of this study show the effectiveness of immunotherapy in this field and how its potential to transform cancer treatment can only grow in the years to come.

Claire Brosseau, 48, an actress, who lives in Toronto was hopeful when a new change to Canadian law allowed people who were living with incurable medical condition, but not near death to ask a doctor to end their lives. This happened in 2021. This gave her relief. But now, almost five years later, she is still alive, mostly surrounded with headlines and debates on who in Canada has the right to avail medically assisted death.

She suffers from a debilitating mental illness, which has no treatment. The sadness has succumbed her that sometimes she has tried to eat peanuts to trigger her severe allergy, in a hope that she would die. Other times she has overdosed on drugs or cut her wrists. A New York Times report notes that her sadness is so severe that sometimes she sobs until her bones ache.

What Happened To Claire Brosseau?

When she was just a 14-years-old honors student in Montreal, who enjoyed her life as wildly as any student of her own age would, she sometimes would turn rather cruel. Her parents took her to a psychotherapist who diagnosed her with manic depression. It came with diagnoses like eating disorder, anxiety disorder, personality disorder, substance abuse disorder, chronic suicidal ideation, and many more mental health issues.

It is not that she has not tried to get better. She has tried at least 25 medications, two dozen different talk, art behavioral therapies, even electroconvulsive therapy and guided psychedelics. She did feel better for sometime, only to return to the feeling of monsters stalking her when she is awake and in her dreams.

Read: Can Right To Die Be Practiced By Non-Terminally Ill Patients?

A shift in Canadian law briefly offered her another option. In 2019, three years after assisted death was legalized for people whose natural death was reasonably foreseeable, two people with chronic conditions challenged the law. They argued that excluding those suffering unbearably from incurable illnesses, simply because they were not dying, violated their right to equality. The courts agreed, and in 2021 the law was expanded to include people who were not at the end of life.

One group, however, remained excluded: people whose sole underlying condition was mental illness. The government said it needed time to draft special safeguards. Of the nine countries that allow assisted death for people not nearing death, only Canada made this distinction. The exclusion was set to end on March 17, 2023, and Ms. Brosseau planned to apply that day. But the deadline was delayed again, and then postponed once more the following year.

Childhood filled With Trauma

In hindsight, her family believes her illness began in early childhood. As a young girl, she cycled through rage and despair, sometimes sitting on train tracks, convinced everyone would be better off without her. At eight, she wrote in her diary that she wanted to die.

At home, her behavior created constant tension. Her older sister, Melissa Morris, recalls being perpetually anxious around her. At just 12, Ms. Morris used money from her first job to install a lock on her bedroom door to shield herself from the chaos.

At school, Ms. Brosseau appeared to flourish. She was popular, academically strong, and deeply involved in theater, even as she skipped classes and experimented with drugs. She was recruited into elite programs, studied theater in New York, and began acting professionally. But she struggled with eating disorders, periods of deep depression, and substance use.

In her early twenties, she returned to Montreal and experienced a severe manic depressive episode that led to months of hospitalization. She recovered enough to restart her career, performing comedy in two languages, acting in commercials, writing, and earning well. Manic episodes, however, continued, sometimes requiring friends to send her home for treatment. At 34, she underwent electroconvulsive therapy and returned to work soon after.

By 2021, she believed she was in remission. Then, during a downturn, her mother called police out of fear she might harm herself. Ms. Brosseau was involuntarily hospitalized, restrained twice despite no recorded threats, and left deeply traumatized. Complaints against the hospital were dismissed. For her, that decision marked the end of trust in the mental health system and any remaining desire to try to get better.

Amber cold health alerts have been announced for parts of northern England after forecasts warned that falling temperatures could lead to more deaths, particularly among older and vulnerable people. The UK Health Security Agency has issued two amber-level alerts for north-east and north-west England, which will be in effect from 8pm on Sunday until midday on Monday 5 January.

UK Under Amber Cold Health Alert: Elderly And Vulnerable People At Highest Risk

The agency said the expected cold spell is likely to increase pressure on healthcare services, with more vulnerable people needing medical attention. Officials warned this could lead to a rise in deaths, especially among those aged 65 and above and people with existing conditions such as heart disease, respiratory illnesses, and other long-term health problems.

UK Under Amber Cold Health Alert: UKHSA Gives Alert

UK Under Amber Cold Health Alert: Concerns Over Indoor Temperatures

The agency warned that indoor temperatures in buildings such as hospitals, care homes, and clinics are expected to drop. Maintaining the recommended indoor temperature of 18C may be difficult, increasing health risks for patients and residents. While all other regions in England will be under a lower-level yellow alert, officials said there is still potential for added pressure on health services. Staffing shortages linked to travel disruption were also flagged, along with possible impacts on essential services such as transport and energy.

How Does Cold Weather Affect People In The UK

Cold weather in the UK can worsen existing health problems and create new risks, particularly during prolonged spells of low temperatures. It places extra strain on the heart and lungs, increases the likelihood of infections, and can make daily life harder for people who struggle to keep warm. Those living in poorly insulated homes or facing high heating costs are often hit the hardest.

The Met Office said much of England will remain cloudy overnight, with patches of frost and fog likely to develop. These conditions could lead to difficult and potentially hazardous travel on Monday morning.

Sub-zero Temperatures Forecast In Parts Of The UK

Overnight temperatures are expected to fall to around minus 1C in Penrith and hover close to freezing in parts of the Lake District where the amber alert is in place. In northern areas of Scotland, temperatures are forecast to drop further, reaching between minus 6C and minus 7C, as per Sky News.

A brisk northerly breeze is also expected along the north-east coast of England, making conditions feel colder and more uncomfortable. Dr Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at UKHSA, as per Sky News, urged people to look out for friends, family, and neighbours as the cold weather sets in.

“The temperatures we are expecting can have a serious impact on health,” he said. “They increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and chest infections, particularly among people over 65 and those with existing health conditions.”

Nearly 200 residents of Piprauli village in Uttar Pradesh’s Budaun district received anti-rabies injections as a precaution after learning that the raita, a curd-based dish served at a funeral, had been prepared using milk from a buffalo that later died following a dog bite.

Rabies Scare In Uttar Pradesh: Nearly 200 Villagers Get Vaccinated

Almost 200 people from Piprauli village in Uttar Pradesh’s Budaun district were given rabies vaccines as a safety measure days after consuming raita made from the milk of a buffalo that had been bitten by a dog. Villagers said the funeral ceremony took place on December 23, where raita was served to attendees. It later came to light that the buffalo whose milk was used had been attacked by a dog a few days before the event, as per NDTV.

The buffalo died on December 26, which led to panic in the village amid fears of possible infection. Soon after, villagers visited the Ujhani Community Health Centre, where they were administered rabies vaccinations.

Rabies Scare In UP: CMO Dr Rameshwar Mishra Clarifies Risk Of Transmission

Chief Medical Officer Dr Rameshwar Mishra said on Sunday that authorities were informed about a buffalo in the village that had been bitten by a suspected rabid dog and later died after showing symptoms associated with rabies.

There were reports that villagers had consumed what was believed to be “infected” raita. As a precaution, everyone who may have been exposed was advised to get vaccinated.

“Prevention is better than cure. Anyone who had even the slightest doubt was given the anti-rabies shot. Usually, there is no risk after milk has been boiled, but vaccination was done to eliminate any possible danger,” Dr Mishra said, as per NDTV. The health department confirmed that no cases of illness have been reported in the village so far and that the situation remains stable.

The CMO added that all those who came for vaccination were given the injection without delay at the Ujhani Community Health Centre. To ensure smooth access, primary and community health centres remained open on both Saturday and Sunday.

What Is Rabies Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Vaccine?

Rabies pre-exposure prophylaxis, also known as PrEP, involves a series of injections taken before any potential exposure to the rabies virus, as per Cleveland Clinic. It is mainly advised for people at higher risk, including veterinarians, animal handlers, laboratory staff, and travellers visiting areas where rabies is common. While PrEP does not eliminate the need for treatment after a bite, it simplifies post-exposure care. Those who have received PrEP require fewer follow-up doses and do not need rabies immunoglobulin, which can be difficult to obtain during emergencies and can save valuable time.

How Can Rabies Pre Exposure Prophylaxis Vaccine Protect You?

According to Dr Deepa Aggarwal, MD, DNB, an allergy specialist with over 20 years of experience from LHMC and AIIMS Delhi, who shared insights on her Instagram account, the rabies pre-exposure prophylaxis vaccine helps prepare the immune system in advance.

It allows the body to build antibodies before any exposure occurs. If a vaccinated person is bitten later, they only need two booster shots and no immunoglobulin. This faster immune response reduces the chance of the virus reaching the brain, which is especially important for people at higher risk or in situations where medical care may be delayed.