Bowel cancer: cancer of the colon or rectum, linked to lifestyle and genetics
A national AIHW data report shows cervical cancer incidence is dropping sharply among Australian women aged 25–29, while cancers like bowel cancer rise in their 30s. Vaccination campaigns begun in 2007 and school-based programs contributed to a projected elimination threshold by 2035, though most cancers still affect those 50 and older.
Sydney Towle, a 26-year-old influencer known for documenting her battle with cholangiocarcinoma on TikTok, has died after a three-year fight. Family posted that she died peacefully in hospice care. Her journey drew a large online following and spotlighted the realities of cancer among young people.
The FDA has approved daraxonrasib (Rasonque), a once-daily pill from Revolution Medicines, for adults with metastatic pancreatic cancer who have received prior therapy or cannot take combination chemotherapy. A 500‑patient trial has shown median survival of 13.2 months versus 6.7 months for chemotherapy; a 30‑day supply will cost about $39,800 and expanded access has already treated thousands.
GLP-1 medications are being increasingly prescribed off-label to children aged 8–11 in the US, despite no FDA approval for under-12s. A NYU Langone study shows a dramatic rise in June 2026, while experts warn about long-term effects and the broader obesity crisis.
This week has seen several medical research and regulatory developments. Insilico Medicine has reported that its experimental drug rentosertib changed blood‑protein patterns that aging clocks read as three to four years younger in a small trial. Stanford teams have published studies showing they can grow hindbrain neurons separately and implant human cortical organoids into mice. The US health department has appointed permanent directors for three FDA centers.