National Cancer Institute

Why are kidney cancer rates higher in some parts of the world than others?

Researchers analyzed kidney tumors from nearly 1,000 people across 11 countries and identified distinct mutational signatures—patterns of DNA changes that can act like molecular fingerprints.

The findings provide new clues about possible environmental and biological factors that may contribute to kidney cancer risk around the world and highlight how genomics can help uncover opportunities for cancer prevention.

Learn more: https://go.nih.gov/hhpesK0

New research is providing a closer look at pancreatic cancer than ever before.

By analyzing more than 137,000 individual tumor cells, researchers reconstructed how pancreatic cancers evolve and diversify over time. The study revealed important differences in how tumors rely on growth-promoting pathways and provides new insight into the biology of one of the most difficult cancers to treat.

Understanding cancer at the single-cell level may help inform future approaches to precision medicine and treatment development.

Learn more: https://go.nih.gov/cgIV53Y

In case you missed it: A new targeted therapy, daraxonrasib, nearly doubled overall survival compared with chemotherapy for people with previously treated metastatic pancreatic cancer in a phase 3 clinical trial—an encouraging advance against one of the most challenging cancers to treat.

These promising findings are a reminder that breakthroughs don't happen in a single study—they are built on years of basic science and laboratory discoveries, translational research, and clinical testing that help move advancements from the lab to patients. This progress highlights the power of the cancer research continuum to deliver new treatment options for patients.

Learn more about the trial results: https://go.nih.gov/yMfvxQL

Recent National Institutes of Health (NIH)-supported research provides insight into how loss of the Y chromosome may affect cancer outcomes.

Researchers found that when tumor cells and immune cells lose the Y chromosome, the immune system may become less effective at fighting cancer. Across multiple cancer types, this loss was associated with poorer outcomes and reduced immune function.

The findings advance our understanding of cancer biology and may help researchers develop improved treatment strategies in the future.

Learn more: https://go.nih.gov/tBH1hpo

CAR T-cell therapy has changed the way we treat some cancers—but safely targeting solid tumors remains a major challenge.

Researchers at NCI developed a new approach that helps engineered immune cells better distinguish cancer cells from healthy tissue. The strategy combines two types of receptors to boost anti-cancer activity while helping protect normal cells.

The findings could help expand the potential of CAR T-cell therapy for people with solid tumors.

Learn more: https://go.nih.gov/rpC6BSA

New research from Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research may help improve breast cancer risk prediction for women of African ancestry.

Scientists developed new polygenic risk score models using data from more than 36,000 women in the largest study of its kind. The tools more accurately estimate breast cancer risk and may help support earlier detection, personalized prevention strategies, and more equitable cancer care.

Learn more: https://go.nih.gov/EbajT81

What if cancer treatments could be delivered directly where they’re needed most—and continue working over time?

An National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded study developed a novel nanofiber drug delivery system for glioblastoma, the most common and aggressive form of brain cancer in adults. Researchers combined three drugs that work together to target cancer cells and embedded them in a nanofiber mesh designed for both immediate and long-term treatment.

Learn more: https://go.nih.gov/HmMeMCm

Why are Black men significantly more likely to develop and die from prostate cancer than men of European ancestry? A new AI-powered tool from NCI researchers is bringing us closer to an answer.

Senior Investigator Sridhar Hannenhalli, Ph.D., and his team built a deep-learning model that scans hundreds of thousands of genetic variants to find the ones most likely to affect how genes are switched on or off in prostate tissue. The result: approximately 2,000 variants tied to biological processes that fuel cancer growth and that differ meaningfully between men of African and European ancestry.

The findings could help shape future cancer risk screening tools and point to biological targets for reducing one of oncology's most persistent disparities. Learn more: https://go.nih.gov/e8JhZtW

🎗️ National Cancer Survivors Day is a reminder that survivorship is shaped by the lived experience.

Survivors and caregivers offer critical perspectives on what it means to live with and beyond cancer—insights that inform research, improve care, and guide resources across the cancer continuum.

This year, our Office of Cancer Survivorship is honored to share new stories from cancer survivors, told directly in survivors’ own words. Explore these and other survivor and caregiver stories: https://go.nih.gov/ebwDnlB

Cancer Survivor and Caregiver Stories | Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences (DCCPS) Cancer survivors cope with their diagnosis, treatment, and life with or after cancer in different ways. While some prefer to put their experiences behind them as much as possible, others choose to draw on them and get involved with cancer-related activities or causes.