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.

Europe is enduring an unprecedented June heatwave, with temperatures reaching as high as 43.8°C and several countries breaking national records. The extreme weather has forced authorities to issue red alerts, restrict public activities, deploy cooling centers, limit alcohol sales and warn of worsening health risks.

France, Spain and the UK Break Temperature Records

France has been among the worst-hit countries. On June 24, it recorded its hottest day on record, with an average national temperature of 30.0°C, surpassing previous records set in July 2019 and August 2003, according to Météo-France. Temperatures peaked at 43.8°C in the western town of Pulluau, while overnight temperatures also set a new national record.

A record 58 French departments were placed under the highest-level red alert as officials warned of an elevated risk of forest fires amid worsening drought conditions. Forty people reportedly died in drowning accidents during the intense heat, UN News reported.

Spain also recorded its hottest June days on record on June 23 and 24, with temperatures exceeding 40°C in several locations.

In the UK, the Met Office issued a red extreme heat warning and reported a provisional June record of 36.1°C at Gosport in southern England.

Germany issued widespread red alerts, including for Bonn, Frankfurt and Cologne, while Swiss cities such as Geneva, Basel and Zurich were also placed under red alert.

WMO Warns of More Extreme Heat

Also read: Heatwave Linked To 212 Deaths In Spain: How Does Heat Impact Health?

According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the heatwave is expected to spread across Western, Central and Southern Europe over the next two weeks. The agency said temperatures are forecast to remain between 3°C and 10°C above average, with daily highs exceeding 35°C across many areas and locally crossing 40°C.

The WMO also warned of more frequent "tropical nights," when temperatures remain above 20°C overnight, preventing the body from recovering from daytime heat.

Hospitals Under Pressure, Paris Restricts Alcohol Sales

The worsening conditions have disrupted healthcare services, with media reports saying hospitals have had to postpone critical imaging scans after sensitive equipment overheated. Cities have also opened emergency cooling centers to protect vulnerable residents.

In Paris, authorities have announced temporary bans on public alcohol consumption and takeaway alcohol sales to ease pressure on hospitals. Public drinking will be prohibited from noon to 7 a.m. over the weekend, while takeaway alcohol sales will be banned between 6 p.m. and 7 a.m. Licensed bars and restaurants are exempt.

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said the country's highest health alert level had been activated to boost hospital staffing and protect vulnerable people.

"We are reaching a saturation point in hospital facilities," said Paris police chief Patrice Faure, while speaking to local media.

Faure has also asked organizers of the Pride march and the Solidays music festival to cancel their events because of the continuing heatwave.

Read More: UK Met Office Warns of 'Pollen Bomb': What Hay Fever Patients Need to Know

Formula 1 Declares Heat Hazard

The extreme temperatures have also reached the sporting world. Formula 1's governing body, the FIA, has declared another "heat hazard" ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix weekend at Spielberg's Red Bull Ring, triggering additional measures to protect drivers, teams and spectators.

"Europe's savage heatwave has the fingerprints of the climate crisis all over it", said United Nations climate chief Simon Stiell. He has called for "a faster shift to renewables, protecting forests and boosting climate resilience".

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo continues to worsen, with cases rising to 1,155 and deaths climbing to 304, as per the latest government data.

The figures represent the total confirmed cases as of June 24, according to a situation report which documented 37 new cases and five new deaths in the previous 24 hours. Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu remain the most affected provinces in Congo.

Experimental treatments

Also read: Ebola Outbreak: The Unique Symptoms Seen In Patients Infected With Bundibugyo

The US is now providing doses of an experimental Ebola treatment developed by Mapp Biopharmaceutical for clinical trials in Congo.

The experimental therapy, known as MBP134, was developed by San Diego-based Mapp Biopharmaceutical. While the US had previously kept its stockpile for potential use in exposed American citizens, it is now making doses available to support clinical research in Congo. This is the first time Washington has publicly committed stockpiled supplies of the treatment for a broader international trial.

According to the World Health Organization, researchers will test MBP134 both on its own and alongside the antiviral drug remdesivir, marketed as Veklury. Remdesivir became widely known during the COVID-19 pandemic and is being evaluated to see whether it can improve outcomes when combined with the antibody treatment.

Ebola: Scientists Lack Access To Virus Samples

The ongoing outbreak is being driven by the rare Bundibugyo strain, for which no approved vaccine or treatment exists. However, scientists racing to develop vaccines and therapies are hampered by the lack of a viable sample of the virus.

“There’s nothing like having the authentic isolate,” said Thomas Geisbert, Professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, who helped develop previous Ebola vaccines, Bloomberg reported.

“Despite so many cases, the global scientific community has not obtained a clinical sample to isolate the virus for the needed animal challenge studies,” added Jennifer Serwanga, head of immunology at the Uganda Virus Research Institute, the report said.

Ebola: WHO Warns Spread to South Sudan

Further, as per a new WHO modelling study published in The Lancet, the growing Congo Ebola outbreak, which has already spread to Uganda, has a 70 per cent chance of reaching South Sudan soon.

The study combined epidemic modelling with spillover estimation to quantify regional risks associated with the 2026 Ituri outbreak using laboratory-confirmed case data from WHO Situation Reports (33 cases as of May 18, 2026, to 598 cases as of June 8, 2026), with projections extending 12 weeks from May 18 to Aug. 10, 2026. It also integrates operational preparedness considerations relevant for neighboring countries.

The report showed that even with the intensified response within DR Congo, uncertainty remains around reported case numbers due to the low rate of contact tracing.

“Sustained control nonetheless remains the primary determinant of regional risk: importation into Uganda is already established, and South Sudan must continue to reinforce infection prevention and control, rapid response capacity, and cross-border surveillance under International Health Regulations 2005,” said researchers from the WHO Regional Office for Africa, Nairobi, Kenya.

The report called for:

1. Enhanced surveillance at formal and informal points of entry to detect suspected cases early and prevent silent transmission.
2. Strengthen infection prevention and control (IPC) measures in front-line health facilities to reduce nosocomial transmission and protect health-care workers.
3. Train, equip, and pre-position rapid response teams for immediate deployment.

The United States is now providing doses of an experimental Ebola treatment developed by Mapp Biopharmaceutical for clinical trials in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where a growing outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain has infected more than 1,000 people and claimed over 250 lives. The decision marks a significant shift from the U.S. government's earlier stance, which limited access to the drug to Americans considered at high risk of exposure.

Health officials are racing to find effective ways to contain the outbreak, as there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments specifically designed for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola. A small number of cases and deaths have also been reported in neighboring Uganda, raising concerns about the disease spreading further across the region.

The experimental therapy, known as MBP134, was developed by San Diego-based Mapp Biopharmaceutical. While the U.S. had previously kept its stockpile for potential use in exposed American citizens, it is now making doses available to support clinical research in Congo. This is the first time Washington has publicly committed stockpiled supplies of the treatment for a broader international trial.

According to the World Health Organization, researchers will test MBP134 both on its own and alongside the antiviral drug remdesivir, marketed as Veklury. Remdesivir became widely known during the COVID-19 pandemic and is being evaluated to see whether it can improve outcomes when combined with the antibody treatment.

Also Read: Nutritional Foods That Help Keep Cholesterol Under Control

Ebola Situation In Western Africa

The confirmed cases in the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have reached the highest total ever recorded during the first month of an outbreak in Africa, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

As of June 22, confirmed Ebola cases in Congo had risen to 1,094 and deaths to 277, according to the DRC Ministry of Health. The WHO raised concerns about the rapid spread of the deadly virus and the challenges facing containment efforts.

“This is the largest number of confirmed cases in the first month of an Ebola disease outbreak in Africa,” said Dr Abdirahman Mahamud, Director, Health Emergency Alert and Response Operations at WHO, during a press briefing in Geneva.

"What is important is we need to scale up and this outbreak is moving faster than us," he told reporters after returning from Bunia last week.

Mahamud also noted signs of hope, highlighting a quick increase in the number of Ebola beds to over 500 in the past fortnight and signs that community resistance and violent resistance to Ebola responders was beginning to abate.

As of June 24, Uganda had recorded 20 confirmed Ebola cases, including two fatalities. The latest infection was identified on June 21, with no additional cases reported afterward. Of the confirmed infections, 15 were linked to travel from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), while five resulted from local transmission. Among the nine cases with available location data, eight were detected in Kampala and one in the neighboring Wakiso District.