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.

Remember Raghu Ram from the MTV reality show 'Roadies'? The actor and television host recently celebrated 10 years of a smoke-free life and took to Instagram to share his progress with fans. Smoking is injurious to health, and that is a known fact. It is associated with heart disease, cancer, hypertension, and even respiratory difficulties in the future. This habit can turn fatal too if one becomes addicted to nicotine. But for Raghu Ram, this journey ended 10 years ago, and he has never looked back since.

From chain smoker to now

"Iss mahine cigarette chhodkar mujhe pure 10 saal ho gaye hain. Or main aisa waise smoker nhi tha. Main peeta tha din mein 1-2 packets daily. Yani 20-40 cigarettes roz. Par maine bahut koshish ki chhodne ki, lekin addiction hoti hai, chor nhin pate hain log. Main bhi nhin chor paya tha," Raghu said in an Instagram video.

"Aisa chora ki wapas ek bhi kash nahin mara. 10 saal ho gaye hain mereko," he added.

How did Raghu Ram quit smoking?

On his podcast Mencyclopedia in 2023, Raghu Ram revealed that he once smoked 20–40 cigarettes a day for 15 years and then suddenly stopped.

"I smoked 20–40 cigarettes every day for 15 years, and then I just stopped. Cold turkey. And I had not taken a puff of a cigarette in 7 years," he said in his podcast titled How I Won the Longest Battle with My Addiction.

After trying several times to quit, Raghu Ram finally gave up smoking after marrying his wife, Natalie Di Luccio, a Canadian singer, in 2018.

Raghu Ram's 7-step guide to quitting smoking

Here is a simple seven-step guide from the former 'Roadies' host and judge:

1. Decide on a date when you want to quit smoking and announce it to everyone.
2. Overdo it a day or two before that so that you are fully disgusted by the act.
3. List all your smoking triggers in order of severity.
4. Avoid situations that can trigger you during the initial phase when you are struggling with withdrawal symptoms.
5. Once you are through the first two weeks, you can gradually put yourself in trigger situations—from least to most severe—and still manage to resist the urge to smoke.
Exercise regularly, as it makes a significant difference to your cravings.

For every person who has ever quit smoking or wanted to do it

For everyone who has ever quit smoking, the reasons may look different, but they all have two things in common: first, an addiction they are battling; and second, withdrawal symptoms to overcome. You may not be able to follow Raghu Ram's seven-step guide exactly, but his story is inspiring enough to encourage people to try quitting smoking.

X-Men actor Tyler Mane has revealed that he has been diagnosed with a "super-rare" form of breast cancer.

In a post on Instagram, Mane, a former professional wrestler, shared that he has been diagnosed with the condition, which is predominantly associated with women. He noted that only about 1 per cent of breast cancer cases occur in men.

The 59-year-old actor said he initially considered keeping his diagnosis private, but ultimately decided to speak publicly about it because men are often diagnosed at more advanced stages of the disease due to a lack of awareness.

“I have some bad news: I start chemo today. One in 750 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime and I’m one of them,” he said in a video posted on Instagram.

Mane revealed that doctors initially dismissed the lump he discovered.

“My doctors initially dismissed it and it was only because my wife pushed me to get the lump removed that I got in early,” he said.

The actor admitted that his first instinct was to keep the diagnosis secret.

“I’ll be honest, my first reaction was to keep it secret. I mean it’s kind of embarrassing,” he said.

However, after learning more about male breast cancer and the importance of early detection, he decided to share his experience publicly to help raise awareness.

While Mane did not reveal the stage of his cancer, he informed of undergoing chemotherapy and urged his followers to spread awareness about the disease.

“I’m gonna kick cancer’s ass. Thank you for coming along for the journey. We need to spread the awareness. Cancer sucks but if you catch it quick enough, you can win this battle,” he wrote.

Breast Cancer in Men

According to the CDC, about one in every 100 breast cancer cases diagnosed in the United States occurs in men. The situation is similar globally, with the World Health Organization estimating that between 0.5 and 1 per cent of breast cancers occur in men.

The lifetime risk of breast cancer in men is currently less than one in 1,000. However, the incidence of the disease is increasing, particularly with advancing age.

The average age at diagnosis for men is about 67 years, roughly five years later than the average age of diagnosis in women.

Because breast cancer is often not suspected in men, the condition can be overlooked or misdiagnosed, resulting in many cases being detected at later stages.

What Are the Risk Factors in Men?

Several factors can increase a man's likelihood of developing breast cancer. These include:

• Advancing age
• Genetics
• Family history
• Lifestyle and hormonal factors, including excess weight, alcohol consumption, liver disease and hormonal imbalances
• Medical conditions such as gynecomastia and Klinefelter syndrome
• Radiation exposure, particularly previous radiation treatment to the chest area

Symptoms to Watch For

The symptoms of breast cancer in men are similar to those in women, but men may overlook them because they are less aware of the disease.

Common signs include:

• A lump in the breast, usually painless
• Nipple discharge
• Dimpling, redness or inversion of the skin or nipple

Why Early Detection Matters

Routine mammography is not generally recommended for men because of the low prevalence of the disease. However, men considered to be at high risk, including those with a strong family history or genetic predisposition, may benefit from periodic screening and should discuss appropriate options with their healthcare providers.

An indigenous low-cost point-of-care (PoC) testing approach has shown promise in making screening for Human Papillomavirus (HPV) more affordable and accessible, potentially improving the early detection of cervical cancer, according to a joint study led by researchers from AIIMS, ICMR, and the WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

The study, published in the International Journal of Cancer, found that PoC tests have the potential to become scalable, low-cost screening tools in India and other low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

The objective of the study was to evaluate indigenous HPV DNA testing platforms for use in primary cervical cancer screening.

Four Indigenous Tests Evaluated

While several Indian HPV tests have been developed, many had not yet been validated against the international standards laid down by the WHO.

The study evaluated four point-of-care tests developed by 3 Indian companies:

• Genes2Me – HPV-Q
• Mylabs India – PathoDetect HPV-7 and PathoDetect HPV-14
• Molbio Diagnostics – Truenat HR-HPV-Plus

Each test was developed by repurposing existing COVID-19 RT-PCR platforms. HPV-Q and PathoDetect HPV-14 can detect all 14 high-risk HPV types, while PathoDetect HPV-7 detects seven high-risk types: 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58.

How the Tests Performed

Also read: PM Modi Launches Nationwide Free HPV Vaccination Drive; A Landmark Step, Says WHO

To assess performance, researchers analyzed 1,159 cervical samples collected from studies conducted in Argentina and Costa Rica.

The results showed:

• Truenat HR-HPV-Plus: Sensitivity 80.4%, specificity 91.5% — met IARC validation criteria.
• PathoDetect HPV-7: Sensitivity 68.1%, specificity 89.0% — lower sensitivity.
• HPV-Q and PathoDetect HPV-14: Did not meet validation criteria.

Indigenous Platforms Can Be Game-Changers

"This study demonstrates that indigenous platforms can achieve clinical validation, quality standards, and accuracy comparable to global gold-standard tests. It will be a game-changer for cervical cancer prevention and early detection in India," said lead author Dr Neerja Bhatla, Professor Emeritus, NCI and former Head of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at AIIMS New Delhi.

Dr Shalini Singh, Director of ICMR-NICPR, added that HPV DNA testing at age 35 and again at age 45 is central to WHO's cervical cancer elimination strategy, but high costs remain a major barrier in LMICs.

"Affordable indigenous solutions are essential to expand screening coverage and reduce disease burden," she said.

High Burden Of Cervical Cancer: Why HPV Testing Matters

Read More: HPV Vaccine Can Help Curb Rising Head And Neck Cancers, Says Top US Doctor

Cervical cancer continues to be a major public health challenge in India, with around 127,000 new cases and 80,000 deaths reported annually.

Globally, cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women. According to WHO data for 2022, there were approximately 662,000 new cases and 348,000 deaths worldwide.

Regular screening of women over 30 years of age every 3-5 years can help detect precancerous and cancerous lesions early. However, screening coverage in India has remained low despite the inclusion of visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) in the national screening program for breast, oral, and cervical cancers.

Persistent infection with carcinogenic HPV types is the necessary cause of cervical cancer. WHO recommends a transition to HPV testing as the preferred strategy for cervical cancer elimination.

Using validated HPV tests, only two rounds of screening — at ages 35 and 45 — may be sufficient to help achieve elimination targets. However, most existing HPV tests are expensive, require sophisticated laboratory infrastructure, and are not easily available at last-mile health facilities.

The researchers said that the point-of-care HPV testing approach, thus, could be a major breakthrough, enabling affordable diagnostics and even same-day treatment for women who test positive.

Potential for Nationwide Rollout

The researchers noted that while the recently introduced national HPV vaccination campaign will benefit younger generations, there remains an urgent need to expand HPV testing for women over 30 who are currently at risk of cervical cancer.

Dr Showket Hussain of the ICMR-National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research (NICPR), Noida, said the validated platform has strong potential for integration into national screening programs because district-level healthcare personnel are already familiar with similar testing systems.

"Future advancements such as self-sampling and high-throughput adaptations could further enhance accessibility," he said.

The findings are expected to support India's cervical cancer elimination goals while offering a scalable model for other low-resource settings globally.