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.

Sonia Gandhi, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson, is under treatment for systemic infection, said the doctors treating her at the private hospital in Delhi, today.

The Rajya Sabha MP was admitted to the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital on March 24, 2026. As per initial reports, she was feeling unwell due to the change in weather and has been put under observation.

"Sonia Gandhi has been admitted to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital on 24th March night for fever. As per Dr. Ajay Swaroop, Chairman of SGRH, she is undergoing treatment with antibiotics for systemic infection,” the hospital said in a statement.

She "is showing response to treatment", it added.

Earlier, the hospital noted that the doctors are conducting further investigations to check for possible infection in the stomach and urinary tract.

Also Read: COVID Variant BA.3.2 Spreads To 23 Countries: Is The Variant Under Monitoring A Cause Of Worry?

What Is A Systemic Infection?

Systemic infection occurs in the bloodstream and affects the entire body, rather than a single organ or body part.

It occurs when pathogens like bacteria, viruses, or fungi enter the bloodstream and travel to multiple organs and tissues.

These infections can be life-threatening and common symptoms include:

• high fever,
• fatigue,
• rapid heart rate,
• confusion.

Earlier this year, in January, Sonia Gandhi was admitted to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital after she suffered respiratory discomfort.

Did Delhi Pollution Make Sonia Gandhi Sick?

Due to an increase in population during the peak winter season in Delhi, the 79-year-old Parliamentarian had been regular with hospital visits and check-ups. Hospital source, while speaking to the news agency PTI, said that "it is a routine admission".

According to reports, she had complained of some respiratory discomfort. Once her medical examination was done, it was found that "her bronchial asthma had been mildly exacerbated", confirmed Dr. Swaroop.

A hospital source told PTI that this is due to the combined effects of cold weather and pollution.

As a precautionary measure, she was admitted to the hospital for further observation and treatment. The physicians who were treating her made a decision on her discharge based on her clinical progress.

Sonia Gandhi's Health History

On June 7, 2025, she was admitted to the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMC) in Shimla for a routine medical check-up. She was also later discharged after her medical examination.

As per Naresh Chauhan, Principal Advisor (Media) to the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, she was brought in due to minor health concerns. However, he said that after being put under observation by doctors to assess her condition, she was stable.

Dr. Aman Chauhan, Deputy Medical Superintendent at IGMC, said, "Her blood pressure was slightly on the higher side, but there is nothing serious. No additional tests were conducted; only routine investigations were carried out. She was not given any special medical advice because everything was perfectly fine."

In the same month, on June 15, she was admitted to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital again under the Department of Surgical Gastroenterology for a stomach-related issue. Before that, she was again in the Delhi hospital on June 9 for a medical check-up.

The emergence of the COVID variant BA.3.2, linked to the Omicron variant lineage, has once again stirred public anxiety, reviving memories of the devastating global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The variant is particularly concerning as it provides no immune protection to people with previous infection or even vaccination.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has raised concerns about BA.3.2 — touted as a highly mutated variant of COVID. BA.3.2 has already been reported in at least 23 countries, including 25 states in America.

Also Read: US CDC Warns Of New Immune-Evasive COVID Variant In 23 Countries

The BA.3.2 variant was first identified in a respiratory sample in South Africa in November 2024.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has designated BA.3.2 as a Variant Under Monitoring (VUM). It means the variant may be not that dangerous yet, it may have concerning mutations.

However, the "BA.3.2 has not shown a sustained growth advantage over any other cocirculating variant, and no data indicate increased severity, hospitalizations, or deaths associated with this variant", according to the WHO's Initial Risk Evaluation Report in December 2025.

"Overall, available evidence suggests that BA.3.2 poses low additional public health risk compared with other circulating Omicron descendant lineages," it added.

What Is The BA.3.2 Variant?

BA.3.2 is a descendant of the Omicron BA.3 lineage. It is genetically distinct from the previously circulating JN.1 lineages (including LP.8.1 and XFG).

BA.3.2 comprises two major branches, BA.3.2.1 and BA.3.2.2. BA.3.2.2 also has substitutions like: K356T, A575S, R681H, and R1162P, the CDC report said.

What makes the BA.3.2 variant special is the “70 to 75 substitutions and deletions in the gene sequence of its spike protein”, revealed the CDC’s latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Also Read: 'Husband Stitch': A Medical Necessity Or Just A Tool To Objectify Women's Bodies?

“BA.3.2 represents a new lineage of SARS-CoV-2, genetically distinct from the JN.1 lineages (including LP.8.1 and XFG) that have circulated in the US since January 2024,” said the CDC researchers.

“BA.3.2 mutations in the spike protein have the potential to reduce protection from a previous infection or vaccination,” they added.

The first BA.3.2 lineage sequence was detected in a respiratory sample collected on November 22, 2024, in South Africa from a boy aged 5 years.

It was then identified in 2025, in Mozambique (March), the Netherlands (April), and Germany (April). It began to increase in September 2025, with the highest number of detections reported during the week beginning December 7, 2025.

As of February 11, 2026, BA.3.2 had been detected in at least 23 countries.

Between November 2025 and January 2026, the weekly BA.3.2 detections increased and reached approximately 30 percent of sequences reported in three European countries (Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands).

The CDC reported that BA.3.2 has appeared in wastewater and clinical samples in 25 states. The states include California, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Wyoming.

Surveillance shows that the variant is present in both urban and rural areas, but the full extent may be larger than reported because not all states have strong genomic testing programs.

BA.3.2 A Variant Under Monitoring

According to the WHO, BA.3.2 demonstrates antigenic drift and reduced neutralization in vitro from previously infected or vaccinated individuals.

However, the global health body noted that currently approved COVID-19 vaccines are expected to continue providing protection against severe disease.

Despite immune evasion, phenotypic data suggest BA.3.2 has reduced infectivity.

John Toshack, the Wales and Liverpool legend, has been diagnosed with dementia, his son Cameron has confirmed to the media.

After a glittering playing career with Liverpool, the now 77-year-old Toshack went on to manage several leading clubs across Europe, including Real Madrid, Real Sociedad, and Besiktas.

His son and ex-Leeds United assistant Cameron, now coaching in Thailand, told the Daily Mail that his father has "good days and bad days".

"It's a terrible disease," he added.

Cameron noted that while his father's memory of his glory days remains intact, his short-term memory is more affected. And his father often tends to forget matters they spoke about in short periods.

"It’s the short-term memory where we’re seeing it – I speak to him most days, and if we chat in the afternoon, he might not remember that we also spoke in the morning," the report said.

"But if I ask him about the Liverpool days, or Sociedad or Madrid, the detail is amazing; his memory was so clear".

Meanwhile, Football Association of Wales in a post on social media platform X shared: "Our thoughts are with former

@Cymru player and manager John Toshack and his family following his recent diagnosis".

What Is Dementia?

Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a significant decline in mental function that is serious enough to affect everyday life. It commonly impacts memory, thinking, and reasoning skills.

Dementia itself is not a single disease but a collection of symptoms caused by underlying conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease or vascular dementia.

Common signs include memory problems, confusion, difficulty finding words, changes in mood or behaviour, and trouble completing familiar tasks.

These symptoms usually worsen over time and are not considered a normal part of ageing. Although there is no cure, treatment options can help manage symptoms, and early diagnosis plays an important role in care planning.

Alzheimer’s Disease: The Leading Cause of Dementia

Alzheimer's disease is one of the most common forms of dementia and mostly affects adults over the age of 65.

About 8.8 million Indians aged 60 and above are estimated to be living with Alzheimer's disease. Over seven million people in the US, 65 and older, live with the condition, and over 100,00 die from it annually.

Alzheimer's disease is believed to be caused by the development of toxic amyloid and beta proteins in the brain, which can accumulate in the brain and damage cells responsible for memory.

Amyloid protein molecules stick together in brain cells, forming clumps called plaques. At the same time, tau proteins twist together in fiber-like strands called tangles. The plaques and tangles block the brain's neurons from sending electrical and chemical signals back and forth.

Over time, this disruption causes permanent damage in the brain that leads to Alzheimer's disease and dementia, causing patients to lose their ability to speak, care for themselves, or even respond to the world around them.

While there is no clear cause of Alzheimer's disease, experts believe it can develop due to genetic mutations and lifestyle choices, such as physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, and social isolation.

Early symptoms of Alzheimer's disease include forgetting recent events or conversations. Over time, Alzheimer's disease leads to serious memory loss and affects a person's ability to do everyday tasks.

There is no cure for this progressive brain disorder, and in advanced stages, loss of brain function can cause dehydration, poor nutrition, or infection. These complications can result in death.