Why does eating more not fix the severe weight loss seen in some cancer patients, and what can be done about it?

In this 'Ask Me Anything' episode, Dr Hui-Ling Ou, Programme Manager for the Pancreatic Cancer and Cancer Immunology Programmes at the CRUK Cambridge Centre, speaks with researchers from the Cancer Cachexia Action Network (CANCAN): Dr Claire Connell (University of Cambridge and Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust), Dr David Lewis (CRUK Scotland Institute), and Dr Tobias Janowitz (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory).

Together, they unpack what cancer-associated cachexia is, why it's so devastating for patients, and how scientists are working to understand and reverse this syndrome. The guests share how their research, spanning metabolism, imaging, immunology, and clinical studies, is bringing fresh insights and hope to a problem that affects quality of life for so many.

This thought-provoking discussion shines a light on the collaborative efforts driving progress against one of cancer's most challenging complications.

Ask me anything about cancer

Ask me anything about... the science of cancer-associated cachexia

BUFFALO, NY — July 15, 2025 — A new #research paper was #published in Aging (Aging-US) Volume 17, Issue 6, on June 5, 2025, titled “Senescence caused by telomerase inactivation in myeloid, mesenchymal, and endothelial cells has distinct effects on cancer progression.”

In this study, first author Joseph Rupert, along with corresponding author Mikhail G. Kolonin and colleagues from The Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine for the Prevention of Human Diseases, McGovern Medical School, at The University of Texas Health Sciences Center at Houston, investigated how aging-related changes in different cell types affect cancer progression. By turning off telomerase in specific cell populations in mice, the researchers discovered that cell aging, or senescence, can slow primary tumor growth but also trigger unexpected effects. This work sheds light on the complex relationship between aging cells and cancer and may help guide future anti-cancer strategies.

The team used genetically modified mice to deactivate telomerase, the enzyme that maintains chromosome ends, specifically in immune, connective tissue, and blood vessel cells. This caused these cells to enter a state of senescence, where they stop dividing and release inflammatory signals. The researchers then implanted breast, prostate, and pancreatic cancer cells into the mice and tracked how tumors developed. They found that when telomerase was inactivated in immune cells or connective tissue cells, tumors grew more slowly. However, these tumors showed signs of increased tissue damage and potential aggressiveness.

Interestingly, when telomerase was turned off in endothelial cells, which cover blood vessels, tumors shrank and became poorly supplied with blood, leading to oxygen deprivation. In the case of pancreatic cancer cells, this low-oxygen environment made them more likely to spread to the liver, highlighting a potential risk of targeting these cells.

“[…] this study shows that senescence and metabolic dysfunction resulting from telomerase inactivation in distinct cells in the tumor microenvironment have different effects on tumor growth and metastasizing of carcinomas.”

This research provides important insights into how aging cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME) influence cancer behavior. While senescence in certain cell types can help suppress tumor growth, it may also create conditions that favor cancer metastasis. These findings highlight the need to consider cell type-specific effects when developing therapies that target senescent cells. By mapping how different cell populations contribute to cancer progression in aging tissues, this study opens the door for more precise approaches to prevent both tumor growth and spread.

DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.206268

Corresponding author - Mikhail G. Kolonin - mikhail.g.kolonin@uth.tmc.edu

Video short - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=py8wFKj7enE

Sign up for free Altmetric alerts about this article - 
https://aging.altmetric.com/details/email_updates?id=10.18632%2Faging.206268

Subscribe for free publication alerts from Aging - https://www.aging-us.com/subscribe-to-toc-alerts

Keywords - aging, senescence, telomerase, myeloid, mesenchymal, endothelial

To learn more about the journal, please visit our website at https://www.Aging-US.com​​ and connect with us on social media at:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AgingUS/
X - https://twitter.com/AgingJrnl
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/agingjrnl/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@AgingJournal
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/aging/
Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/aging-us.bsky.social
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/AgingUS/
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1X4HQQgegjReaf6Mozn6Mc

MEDIA@IMPACTJOURNALS.COM

Aging (Aging-US)

How Telomerase Inactivation in Aging Cells Influences Cancer Growth and Metastasis

Câncer de pâncreas é um dos mais agressivos entre os tumores sólidos e frequentemente é diagnosticado em estágio avançado. Apesar de representar apenas 3% dos tumores sólidos, a doença é silenciosa e letal, tem uma das maiores taxas de mortalidade. O câncer de pâncreas é raro em jovens com menos de 30 anos. A enfermidade atinge praticamente na mesma proporção homens e mulheres, em geral, com idade superior a 50 anos, especialmente entre os 65 e os 80 anos. Para falar sobre o assunto, o âncora Jota Batista conversa, nesta terça-feira (15), com o Oncologista do Hospital Jayme da Fonte, Diogo Sales, no Canal Saúde.

Câncer de pâncreas: conheça os sinais, como prevenir e tratar

BUFFALO, NY - July 16, 2025 – A new #research paper was #published in Volume 16 of Oncotarget on July 9, 2025, titled “A novel anti-human CD25 mAb with preferential reactivity to activated T regulatory cells depletes them from the tumor microenvironment.”

In this study, researchers from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, led by first author Maja Buszko and corresponding author Ethan M. Shevach, discovered a new monoclonal antibody that selectively targets a subset of immune cells called regulatory T cells (Tregs). These cells, while normally important for preventing autoimmunity, also can block the body’s ability to fight cancer by suppressing anti-tumor immune responses. This discovery could lead to novel cancer therapies that strengthen the immune system’s capacity to attack tumors.

The researchers identified an anti-CD25 monoclonal antibody with several atypical properties and named it 2B010.  To evaluate its effects, they used humanized mice, laboratory mice that are engineered to carry human immune cells, to closely mimic how human immune systems respond to cancer. The treatment of these mouse models with 2B010 significantly decreased the number of Tregs in tumors and boosted the activity of CD8+ T cells, which are essential for killing cancer cells. Importantly, 2B010 worked without disrupting other key immune functions. Unlike traditional Anti-CD25 antibodies, it did not interfere with interleukin-2 (IL-2) signaling, which is essential for the growth and activity of effector T cells that fight cancer. 

“2B010 also had no effect on IL-2 induced STAT5 phosphorylation or CD4+ T cell proliferation in vitro while both were blocked by Clone D1 further supporting the view that 2B010 does not recognize the IL-2 binding site.”

This finding is especially significant because high levels of Tregs in tumors are associated with poor outcomes in many cancers. By specifically removing these cells, 2B010 may help overcome one of the main barriers to current immunotherapy approaches. Its ability to preserve IL-2 signaling could also make it safer and more effective when used alone or in combination with existing therapies such as immune checkpoint inhibitors.

While the 2B010 antibody showed strong effects in reducing Tregs and boosting immune cell activity, the study did not observe changes in tumor size in these models. Researchers suggest this may be due to limitations in the preclinical systems used, such as the lack of tumor-specific T cells in humanized mice. Nevertheless, these findings demonstrate that 2B010 has a unique mechanism of action that could complement other cancer immunotherapies in future clinical trials.

In conclusion, the development of 2B010 is a promising step toward selectively disrupting the immune suppressive environment in tumors. As researchers continue to refine and test this antibody, it could become a powerful tool for enhancing the effectiveness of cancer treatments and improving outcomes for patients.

DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.28752

Correspondence to - Ethan M. Shevach - eshevach@Niaid.NIH.gov

Video short - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NJcGsI7WXA

Sign up for free Altmetric alerts about this article - https://oncotarget.altmetric.com/details/email_updates?id=10.18632%2Foncotarget.28752

Subscribe for free publication alerts from Oncotarget - https://www.oncotarget.com/subscribe/

Keywords - cancer, Treg, CD25, TME, mAb, GVHD

To learn more about Oncotarget, please visit https://www.oncotarget.com and connect with us:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Oncotarget/
X - https://twitter.com/oncotarget
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/oncotargetjrnl/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@OncotargetJournal
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/oncotarget
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/oncotarget/
Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/user/Oncotarget/
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0gRwT6BqYWJzxzmjPJwtVh

MEDIA@IMPACTJOURNALS.COM

Oncotarget

New Antibody Selectively Targets Immune Cells That Suppress Anti-Tumor Responses

A soothing meditation written to support oncology staff.

Read by: Catherine Liggett
Written With: Catherine Liggett & Mark Staley

Transcript:
Coming Home to Yourself
Let yourself arrive, fully, right here.
You are not alone. 
Your team continues to hold the line—right now, you hold yourself.
This pause isn’t a departure from your work.
It is the work.
This moment of return is not indulgence.
It’s alignment. With breath. With truth. With self.
Feel the way your body meets the earth—your hips supported by this chair, your feet grounded.
You are held. You are steady. You are safe.
Your nervous system has been vigilant—alert to suffering, ready to act, tireless in service.
It’s done exactly what it was meant to do.
Now, offer it a different message:“My colleagues are holding what needs to be held. In this moment, I can rest.”
Invite your body to soften as it hears those words.
Notice the tension you wear like armor:
The shoulders raised from carrying others’ burdens.
The jaw set from holding back your own tears so you could show up with compassion.
The chest alert from absorbing fear and transmitting steadiness.
This armor has protected you—let it know its service is seen.
Then gently, lovingly, invite it to soften. Just for now.
You are so often the container for others’ grief, confusion, and courage.
Now, you become the container for your own truth.
Whatever you feel—fatigue, ache, tenderness, gratitude—all of it belongs.
There is no wrong feeling.
There is only your presence, meeting yourself with honesty and care.
There is a part of you that never stops giving. That wonders if you’ve done enough.
That part is beautiful.
Right now, turn that wonder inward.
Give to yourself what you so readily give to others.
Place your attention at your heart.
This heart has witnessed so much—It knows the complexity of loss,
The fragility of hope,
And the power of being present in the unknown.
Invite your breathing to slow.
Shorten your inhale, and extend your exhale.
With each outward breath, release what was never yours to carry:
Someone else’s fear.
Someone else’s urgency.
Someone else’s expectations.
Picture each breath flowing out like a stream to the sea,
falling over the edge of a waterfall,
dissolving into mist.
With each inhale, draw in what nourishes you:
Peace.
Steadiness.
A quiet knowing that you are enough, exactly as you are.
Notice the quiet here.
Stillness that speaks.
Stillness that echoes.
Sink into the fullness of your being.
You are more than a provider of care.
You are a whole human:
With needs, emotions, memories, and wonder.
With laughter. With limits. With life beyond your role.
You don’t have to set your humanity aside to do this work.
You can bring it with you.
In fact, you must.
There is a way to hold space for others and for yourself.
Not by balancing on a tightrope,
but by anchoring in truth—that tending to yourself is an act of service.
When you care for your own inner world with gentleness, you preserve the ground from which all care flows.
This is not indulgence. This is sustainability.
Now, picture a golden light in your chest—warm, steady, alive.
This light holds both your capacity to care and your own need to be cared for.
Let it expand with each breath,
forming a gentle boundary—not to push others away,
but to hold your own center,
so it is not lost in the waves.
This light is with you.
It is you.
It reminds you:
You don’t have to abandon yourself to show up for others.
You bring your whole being forward—not divided, but integrated.
Not hollowed out, but filled from within.
Take three slow breaths now,
feeling that golden light pulsing gently with life.
Each breath a return.
Each breath a reverberation of care.
And when you’re ready, open your eyes.
Carry this light with you. Let it ripple outward in how you move,
how you listen,
how you rest, how you speak.
You are not depleted—you are home.
You are not broken—you are whole.
You are not alone—you are deeply supported.
You are exactly where you need to be.


10-Minute Meditation: Coming Home to Yourself

P E R H A P S  T H O U G H T  T H E  W O R L D  W O U L D  F R I G H T E N  H E R...

The doctor says it's over

P E O P L E  L E A V E  A L L  T H E  T I M E...

phone call at midnight

N O T  A L O N E< HOWEVER MY PHONE...R I N G S  I N  H E L L///BURNING CELLS

I don't want to die

P L E A S E  J U S T  B E  Y O U R S E L F/;;;..........

Think of me

A deeply personal account of life as a carer and a call to support those who care for others
'Ed Davey wants to rewrite British politics – not with the language of crisis, but that of care. … He offers something rare – moral clarity rooted in lived experience.' Guardian 

 'Caring is how we know we’re alive.

The good in all of us has been shaped by care. Hold a mirror up to that, and we’ll realise our potential.'

Care is the thread that runs through Ed’s life. Aged only four, Ed lost his father. When his mother also became ill with cancer, Ed and his brothers nursed her at home until she died when Ed was just 15. That formative experience was one of the main inspirations in seeking election, and with it the opportunity to take action. Now, he and his wife care for their son John, who has severe physical and learning disabilities, as well as raising their younger daughter. So Ed has real knowledge of the emotional, physical and financial challenges faced by legions of carers in Britain today.

Why I Care is both a deeply personal story, drawing on Ed’s own experiences, and a book that reflects the stories of people everywhere to offer a vision of change. Shedding light on the often-invisible world of carers, he calls for society, our government and our institutions to recognise, support, and lift up the silent carers who form the backbone of our communities.

This isn’t just Ed’s story. It's the story of millions.

Why I Care: And why care matters, By Sir Ed Davey, Read by Sir Ed Davey

•Insta:insomniackid85
•Youtube:In$omniac Kid
I do literally every genre(mainly alternative indie pop/rock)
•19 year old Artist from Galway,    Ireland🇮🇪🎙️
• with Guillain-Barré Syndrome 
•I'm not afraid to experiment🥼🧪
•Dm to collab with me📶🤳💰
•I've already achieved my dream, I've actually made music:)
please follow me on insta:)

Groundswell: Making space to restore, together. 
Groundswell is a 12-month pilot program designed to support the emotional well-being of the staff at Magee Women's Cancer Services by introducing resources that acknowledge the emotional complexities of oncology care. Through communication, creativity, and connection, Groundswell fosters a culture where grief is acknowledged, isolation transforms into belonging, and self-care is honored as essential to delivering excellent patient care.

Publishers of award-winning fiction and non-fiction audiobooks for adults and children. Listen to exclusive clips from our books and free audioook extracts here on Soundcloud.

Oncotarget is a primarily oncology-focused, peer-reviewed, open access journal. Papers are published continuously within yearly volumes in their final and complete form and then quickly released to Pubmed.

Oncotarget is now indexed by MEDLINE, PubMed and PMC/PubMed.

Read about the Oncotarget Scientific Integrity Process: https://www.oncotarget.com/scientific_integrity/

Cancer and aging are two sides of age-related tumorigenesis.

The mission of the journal is to understand the mechanisms surrounding aging and age-related diseases, including cancer as the main cause of death in the modern aged population.

The journal aims to promote 1) treatment of age-related diseases by slowing down aging, 2) validation of anti-aging drugs by treating age-related diseases, and 3) prevention of cancer by inhibiting aging. (Cancer and COVID-19 are age-related diseases.)

Read about the Aging (Aging-US) Scientific Integrity Process: https://aging-us.com/scientific-integrity

As principais notícias de Pernambuco, do Brasil e do mundo resumidas e comentadas pela Folha PE através de podcasts diários.
Fone: 81 3425-5872

The Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre unites over 1,000 world-leading biologists, chemists, physicists, engineers, mathematicians, computer scientists, clinicians, nurses and allied healthcare professionals from across Cambridge, UK to tackle cancer from every angle.

Our mission is to end death and disease caused by cancer through research, treatment and education. We are detecting cancer at its earliest stage and are developing personalised treatments for every patient through facilitating new collaborations and driving the translation of new scientific discoveries into clinical applications to improve patient care. By working together across a range of different disciplines, our members are breaking down the barriers between the laboratory and the clinic, enabling patients to benefit from the latest innovations in cancer science.

New tracks tagged #cancer