https://medicalxpress.com/gastroenterology-news/ en-us Latest medical news and research in Gastroenterology Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), affecting an estimated 6–8 million people worldwide, may soon be monitored with a simple stool test instead of invasive procedures. Researchers have demonstrated that human DNA in fecal matter, previously ignored as biological noise, provides a clear map of activity in Inflammatory Bowel Disease. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-inflammatory-bowel-disease-human-dna.html Thu, 07 May 2026 19:40:03 EDT news697365830 A new mouse study led by Johns Hopkins Children's Center researchers suggests a link between a high-fat prenatal diet and induction of potentially deadly symptoms of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in premature babies. Findings from the study are published in Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-high-fat-diets-pregnancy-worsen.html Thu, 07 May 2026 19:00:04 EDT news697392541 Changes in gut microbiota after bariatric surgery are strongly linked to altered metabolic health and sustained improvement in type 2 diabetes, according to a study led by researchers at the University of Gothenburg. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-gut-microbiota-play-role-metabolic.html Thu, 07 May 2026 16:20:10 EDT news697385762 Since a landmark 2009 study, researchers have known that a common gut bacterium, Bacteroides fragilis, drives colon tumor formation, potentially leading to colorectal cancer, by secreting a toxin that damages the lining of the colon. But until now, the exact mechanism the toxin uses to latch onto those cells remained a mystery. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-year-mystery-scientists-gut-bacteria.html Thu, 07 May 2026 16:00:02 EDT news697378722 The targeted RAS inhibitor daraxonrasib was found to be safe and showed signs of efficacy in patients with previously treated RAS-mutant metastatic pancreatic cancer, according to a Phase I/II first-in-human trial led by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and across the country. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-rason-inhibitor-daraxonrasib-results-advanced.html Thu, 07 May 2026 15:40:03 EDT news697385641 Chronic immune diseases are shaped by multiple inflammatory processes happening at the same time, each in different parts of the tissue. This finding from Karolinska Institutet, published in the journal Immunity, is based on a mouse study. The research may help explain why patients respond differently to treatment. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-chronic-bowel-disease-involves-multiple.html Thu, 07 May 2026 09:00:05 EDT news697362825 The occurrence of microscopic colitis in Sweden has risen steadily over the past decades, according to a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. The findings show that the disease is more common than previously recognized and affects mainly older adults, especially women. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-sweden-fourfold-microscopic-colitis-women.html Tue, 05 May 2026 16:00:01 EDT news697210561 A swarm of tiny, shape-changing, all-metal robots might someday deliver drugs and capture biopsy samples painlessly and then safely dissolve without the need for extraction, according to a study presented at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2026. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-biodegradable-metal-microrobots-drug-delivery.html Tue, 05 May 2026 00:10:07 EDT news697105141 For patients with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis who have exhausted other treatment options, a new combination therapy is showing results that offer hope for one of medicine's most treatment-resistant populations, according to findings from two studies presented at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2026. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-combination-therapy-outcomes-difficult-patients.html Tue, 05 May 2026 00:10:02 EDT news697105741 A newly discovered type of liver cell may hold clues for treating severe liver disease, according to a recent study from the University of Michigan Life Sciences Institute. The findings, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, reveal a signaling pathway that can protect against metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, or MASH. This more severe form of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis liver disease, or MASLD, affects 5% to 10% of the U.S. adult population and leads to cirrhosis and liver cancer. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-kind-liver-cell-common-disease.html Mon, 04 May 2026 15:20:06 EDT news697119061 Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is the most common gastrointestinal condition worldwide, affecting about 1 in 10 people, primarily women. Those who have it suffer abdominal pains and also often develop mental-health issues such as anxiety and depression, significantly impacting their quality of life. IBS cannot be cured and no single treatment is universally effective, so what's left is to manage the symptoms. Diet is key, but it must be tailored to the individual. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-online-tool-tackling-bowel-syndrome.html Mon, 04 May 2026 12:20:07 EDT news697111621 If you're over the age of 10, the World Health Organization recommends that you consume at least 25 grams of fiber every day. The best fiber-containing foods come from plants: fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains and legumes. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-fiber-strong-indigestibility-digestive-healthy.html Mon, 04 May 2026 11:40:01 EDT news697109762 Scientists at Oregon Health & Science University have developed a new technique using an electronic jolt and nanoparticles to reveal the telltale signal of an insidious form of cancer. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-microchip-nanoparticle-pancreatic-cancer-blood.html Sat, 02 May 2026 17:40:01 EDT news696910176 For decades, the relationship between fat and cancer has been treated as a question of quantity: Eat less fat, reduce your risk of developing cancer. But new research published April 29 in Cancer Discovery shows that for pancreatic cancer, the type of fat you consume matters more than the amount. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-dietary-fats-pancreatic-cancer-ferroptosis.html Fri, 01 May 2026 20:40:05 EDT news696840074 Advanced technologies are helping researchers identify environmental contaminants that could potentially be contributing to the rising incidence of early-onset colorectal cancer. However, epigenetic studies on such associations should be interpreted with caution, according to researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, who are leading experts in the disease. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-experts-perspective-link-pesticide-exposure.html Fri, 01 May 2026 12:00:06 EDT news696853442 Researchers at Trinity College Dublin have published a major new review that brings fresh clarity to one of the deadliest forms of cancer—pancreatic cancer—by mapping how the disease operates at every level. The review is published in the journal Cancer Letters. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-pancreatic-cancer-playbook-reveals-survival.html Fri, 01 May 2026 11:40:08 EDT news696853021 On Wednesday, the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) released updated guidelines aimed at modern bathroom habits and dietary trends that could be making hemorrhoids and constipation worse. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-medical-guidelines-urge-fiber-bathroom.html Thu, 30 Apr 2026 22:20:01 EDT news696777358 The effects of cesarean delivery on the newborn microbiota appear to vary according to sex. A research team coordinated by INRAE has demonstrated this in a mouse model, showing increased susceptibility to colonic inflammation and a compromised gut barrier in males. These findings are published in Gut Microbes. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-cesarean-birth-sex-specific-effects.html Thu, 30 Apr 2026 16:00:09 EDT news696778861 Years before he conducted the research that would earn him a Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine, Shinya Yamanaka, MD, Ph.D., was a postdoctoral scientist at Gladstone Institutes, studying genes. There, he helped discover a gene (now called eIF4G2) that's essential for early embryonic development. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-gene-intestinal-stem-cells-stable.html Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:00:25 EDT news696760802 An intestinal pathogen reshapes the gut environment to fuel its own colonization and cause diseases, a multi-institutional team including researchers at Vanderbilt Health has discovered. The investigators show that enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis (ETBF), which causes diarrhea and has been implicated in colitis (inflammation of the colon) and colorectal cancer, uses a toxin it produces to reprogram intestinal cell metabolism and generate conditions that support its growth. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-disease-pathogen-rewires-gut-metabolism.html Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:00:05 EDT news696687902 Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most difficult cancers to treat, in large part because tumors do not exist in isolation. Instead, they are surrounded by a dense and complex network of blood vessels, connective tissue, and immune cells that shape how the disease grows and responds to therapy. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-tumor-chip-reveals-pancreatic-cancer.html Wed, 29 Apr 2026 19:20:07 EDT news696697322 Obesity, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, obstructive sleep apnea, and hypothyroidism are independent metabolic risk factors (MRF) for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), according to a study recently published in the Journal of Clinical and Translational Hepatology. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-metabolic-factors-dysfunction-steatotic-liver.html Wed, 29 Apr 2026 15:20:04 EDT news696689640 Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that infect and kill bacteria. These microscopic predators are found everywhere, from soil and water to food and the human gut. Because they attack only specific bacteria, researchers are increasingly exploring them as tools for reducing harmful bacteria in humans and animals without disturbing helpful microbes. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-bacteriophages-viruses-superbugs.html Wed, 29 Apr 2026 13:40:03 EDT news696684541 The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) has released a new clinical practice update providing expert guidance on the diagnosis and treatment of hemorrhoids, a common condition affecting approximately 50% of people by age 50. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-fiber-bathroom-habits-key-hemorrhoids.html Wed, 29 Apr 2026 08:00:03 EDT news696579767 A University of Houston College of Pharmacy professor has published two studies offering a comprehensive look at chronic liver disease in the era of modern antiviral therapies. One study is the first analysis of its economic and human toll; the other examines patient adherence to second-generation antiviral medications, a key factor in disease prevention and treatment in hepatitis C. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-professor-urges-liver-disease-burden.html Wed, 29 Apr 2026 07:00:07 EDT news696661381 The risk of celiac disease, an autoimmune reaction driven by gluten, is not a reason to avoid antibiotic treatment. This has been shown by a national study that analyzed the relationship between antibiotics and later celiac disease. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-antibiotic-celiac-diagnosis-symptoms-national.html Tue, 28 Apr 2026 17:20:06 EDT news696592302 Many liver diseases share a common characteristic: fibrosis, the progressive accumulation of scarring in the liver tissue. Those scars—the liver's response to persistent injuries or attacks—can prevent the organ from functioning properly. Fibrosis affects millions of people worldwide and is a decisive step in the progression toward cirrhosis, a potentially fatal condition that can develop into liver cancer. Now, a study by the National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), published in Nature Metabolism, has identified a key mechanism in the development of liver fibrosis. This finding represents a further step toward the development of personalized therapies which help prevent its progression. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-bile-duct-cells-reveal-key.html Tue, 28 Apr 2026 16:40:01 EDT news696606841 When the liver fails, toxins—such as ammonia—that should be filtered from the blood build up and reach the brain. The result is hepatic encephalopathy (HE), a devastating neurological complication of liver disease that can cause anxiety, confusion, memory loss and, in severe cases, coma. HE is a common endpoint of liver cirrhosis, driving frequent hospitalizations and placing a heavy burden on patients and health care systems worldwide. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-gut-brain-scientists-bacteria-severe.html Tue, 28 Apr 2026 16:00:07 EDT news696606061 An experimental drug may in future provide a new form of protection for people with celiac disease. According to an international study led by the Universities of Oulu and Tampere, the drug dampens the harmful effects of gluten not only in the gut but also widely across the whole body. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-experimental-drug-celiac-disease-treatment.html Tue, 28 Apr 2026 13:00:01 EDT news696598741 The World Health Organization on Tuesday said progress in eliminating hepatitis was too slow, with tools available to eliminate the disease that kills more than one million people annually. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-world-hepatitis.html Tue, 28 Apr 2026 10:40:05 EDT news696588407