Scientists have been trying for some time to validate a clinical observation that some people with certain types of tumors, such as breast, bowel, and prostate cancers, who take low-dose aspirin every day have a lower risk of cancer metastasis. In fact, several clinical trials are underway to understand this effect. But can a drug designed to reduce pain, inflammation, and fever really prevent the spread of cancer? Until now, the exact mechanism by which this common medicine in the medicine cabinet can stimulate the immune system to stop the spread of cancer was unknown. journey tumor, but this Wednesday news was published in the magazine Nature from a study carried out in mice that has been directed by the University of Cambridge and funded by the public organisation of the United Kingdom, the Medical Research Council and the European Research Council.

In recent years, monoclonal antibodies have become one of the tools with the greatest potential to combat the appearance of tumours and the generation of metastases. But transforming them into effective drugs is not easy anywhere in the world. The use of organoids (microscopic organs) could speed up the development process. This is precisely what researchers at Barcelona Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB), under the direction of Eduard Batlle, and the Dutch company Merus NV have verified. After eight years' research, they have succeeded in producing an antibody that acts specifically on cancer stem cells and limits tumour growth and the formation of metastases. The study, which is based on the generation of an extensive biobank of organoids, was published on Monday in the journal Nature Cancer.

Palmitic acid, one of the usual suspects in unhealthy diets, has just received a new witness that further undermines its presumption of innocence. If for some years it has been accused of being responsible for increasing cholesterol levels or having a negative impact on the onset of heart disease, now it is time to assess its role in cancer. And as it was suspected four years ago, it has been found that this acid, one of the major components of palm oil, triggers a mechanism that promotes the activity of metastatic cells and, therefore, the risk of generating distant tumors. In the same way, it induces a memory effect that makes its behaviour more aggressive. The research, led by ICREA researcher Salvador Aznar-Benitah, at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB) in Barcelona, was published last Wednesday in the journal Nature.