https://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. California health officials are urging people to stay away from wild mushrooms entirely after a sharp rise in poisonings tied to the deadly death cap mushroom. Since Nov. 18, more than three dozen people have been poisoned after eating death caps, according to the California Department of Public Health. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-california-foraging-toxic-mushrooms.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 21:30:05 EST news689873225 Cells from cancerous tumors can spread, or metastasize, throughout the body. Researchers have long sought to understand what determines where those cells will go and thrive in order to more effectively treat the cancer and prevent metastasis. Researchers at Yale School of Medicine (YSM) have now identified biological markers for a rare, aggressive eye cancer that predict the likelihood of secondary tumors forming in the liver. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-eye-cancer-genes-predetermine-liver.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 09:59:52 EST news689853541 New research suggests the liver plays a previously unrecognized role in bone health, but only in males. A McGill University-led study published in Matrix Biology found that a protein made in the liver helps regulate bone growth in male mice, but not in females. The findings may help explain why men with liver disease are more likely to experience bone loss. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-protein-liver-key-factor-men.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 09:00:03 EST news689512047 Could plastic byproducts and forever chemicals found in drinking water cause your body to attack your own nervous system? Research from Sweden links higher levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) with a higher risk of developing multiple sclerosis. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-chemicals-boost-multiple-sclerosis-safe.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 16:40:39 EST news689532002 Shift work and irregular eating patterns could affect liver function and disrupt its delicate circadian rhythm, University of Queensland researchers have found. Dr. Meltem Weger from UQ's Institute for Molecular Bioscience said the body has various circadian clocks that regulate critical biological processes including liver function. She said the liver operates its own body clock, releasing proteins in a 24-hour rhythm, and disruptions to this cycle are linked with chronic conditions such as obesity. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-shift-irregular-impact-liver-body.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 16:12:27 EST news689530321 An experimental pill called enlicitide slashed levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, commonly known as "bad" cholesterol, by up to 60%, according to a new phase three clinical trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine. If approved by the Food and Drug Administration, this novel medication could help millions in the U.S. significantly reduce their risk of heart attacks and strokes. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-experimental-pill-bad-cholesterol.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 10:06:53 EST news689508361 University of Oklahoma researchers have created a new drug delivery system that helps cancer cells take in much more of a treatment, improving its ability to kill tumors. The findings are published in Science Advances. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-trojan-horse-delivery-gold-nanoparticles.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 07:00:06 EST news689493029 A key molecular mechanism drives the growth of liver cell cancer while simultaneously suppressing the body's immune response to the tumor. This has been published in the journal Nature by a team led by researchers from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), the University Hospital of Tübingen, and the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute in La Jolla, California. However, the results also show that this very mechanism could help identify patients who respond particularly well to immunotherapy in the future, thus opening up new therapeutic approaches. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-edged-sword-chronic-cellular-stress.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 11:00:10 EST news689319721 For patients hospitalized with severe hyponatremia, faster sodium correction is associated with a lower risk for 90-day death or delayed neurologic events, according to a study published online in the Annals of Internal Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-poor-outcomes-faster-sodium-severe.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 08:10:02 EST news689411209 Dementia is a term used to describe memory loss, impaired reasoning, difficulties communicating and other mental impairments that can be caused by Alzheimer's disease, other neurodegenerative disease, strokes, severe infections, head injuries or various other conditions. While most past studies investigating the causes and underpinnings of dementia focused on the brain, a growing body of research suggests that these mental impairments could sometimes be linked to diseases that affect other parts of the body, referred to as peripheral diseases. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-dementia-cases-linked-brain-diseases.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 06:50:01 EST news689257603 Two UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have identified a protein that plays a key role in controlling the liver's release of cholesterol-carrying lipoproteins into the bloodstream, a discovery that could lead to new treatments for atherosclerotic heart disease and fatty liver disease. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-newly-protein-key-cholesterol.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 18:40:02 EST news689358563 Liver cancer is one of the three deadliest cancers worldwide, and metabolic dysfunction-related cases have become increasingly common in recent years. A research team from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has identified a protein secreted by fat cells that promotes cancer growth and has successfully developed a novel antibody that neutralizes this protein, marking a significant breakthrough in impeding the progression of liver cancer. The research findings have been published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-antibody-fat-cell-protein-approach.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 14:05:02 EST news689349842 More than 100 million people in the United States suffer from metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), characterized by a buildup of fat in the liver. This condition can lead to the development of more severe liver disease that causes inflammation and fibrosis. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-tissue-drugs-liver-disease.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 10:20:03 EST news689335659 In a human organoid-based mechanistic investigation, researchers revealed how an immunosuppressive drug, antithymocyte globulin (ATG), induces injury to blood vessels in the liver. According to the study, ATG first triggers rapid clotting through a complement activation system and later causes inflammation by activating the TGF-β pathway. This discovery explains why some patients experience severe liver-related side effects following organ transplantation, and the research may aid in the development of safer immunosuppressive regimens. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-common-immunosuppressive-drug-liver-blood.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 09:50:06 EST news689334541 A new study has found that MET (hepatocyte growth factor receptor) signaling plays a critical protective role in acetaminophen-induced acute liver failure (ALF). This pathway is shown to work as a dual-action mechanism that both reduces liver damage and accelerates regeneration. The findings from a novel study published in The American Journal of Pathology suggest that targeting MET signaling could become a game-changer for the treatment of drug-induced ALF. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-met-role-acetaminophen-acute-liver.html Mon, 02 Feb 2026 21:40:01 EST news689258054 A chemical used in some over-the-counter eye drops may affect liver cells and be transformed to a PFAS-like substance. This is according to a new study from Örebro University published in Environment International. "We initiated the study last year to follow up on questions from a journalist about the safety of eye drops," says Tuulia Hyötyläinen, lead researcher and professor of chemistry at Örebro University. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-eye-affect-liver-cells.html Mon, 02 Feb 2026 16:48:40 EST news689273281 Researchers at the UNC School of Medicine have developed a tool that can identify airway mucus abnormalities in patients with chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or asthma before symptoms start. A study led by Mehmet Kesimer, Ph.D., a professor of pathology and lab medicine at the UNC School of Medicine, describes a new metric called the Quantitative Mucin Index (MUCQ) of the Lung. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-metric-physicians-lung-health.html Mon, 02 Feb 2026 16:36:33 EST news689272562 Scientists have created a complete map showing how hundreds of possible mutations in a key cancer gene influence tumor growth. The study focused on CTNNB1, a gene that produces the protein β-catenin, which helps regulate tissue growth and repair. When β-catenin is disrupted, cells can begin uncontrolled growth—a hallmark of cancer. The work is published in Nature Genetics. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-mutation-key-cancer-gene-tumor.html Mon, 02 Feb 2026 05:00:06 EST news689004661 Biological differences between women and men lead to variations in the appearance and progression of many diseases, which influence diagnosis and response to treatments. These differences also affect the relationship between diseases, as they generate different combinations, risks, and patterns of joint appearance depending on sex. However, the biological mechanisms that explain these associations have remained largely unexplored from a sex-differentiated perspective—until now. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-sex-diseases-exposes-historical-biases.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 16:56:42 EST news688928161 Assessing the toxicity of food contaminants—including carcinogenic potential—is a major challenge in evaluating the risks associated with exposure. In recent years, as part of efforts to reduce animal testing, two-dimensional (2D) analytical methods using human hepatic cell lines (which make up most of the liver) have advanced predictive toxicology for contaminants. However, these approaches have limitations, because they do not sufficiently capture the organ's complexity. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-miniature-human-liver-toxicology-food.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 16:52:32 EST news688927921 People with compromised liver function may be able to reduce their risk of liver cancer or slow its progression with a simple dietary change: eating less protein. A Rutgers-led study in Science Advances has found that low-protein diets slowed liver tumor growth and cancer death in mice, uncovering a mechanism by which a liver's impaired waste-handling machinery can inadvertently fuel cancer. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-simple-dietary-liver-cancer-patients.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 15:13:35 EST news688921981 Mayo Clinic researchers have developed a promising gene-editing therapy that directly corrects a genetic mutation responsible for autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), the most common inherited kidney disorder. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-dose-base-pkd1-mutation-survival.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 13:48:41 EST news688916862 Scientists at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have identified an important immune response that helps explain why some cancer patients benefit from immunotherapy while others do not. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-antibody-immune-cells-cancer-immunotherapy.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 19:50:01 EST news688744223 Kratom products can be seen at gas stations, vape shops or online. Marketed as "natural" and often sold in forms such as powders, capsules and gummies, kratom is gaining popularity in the U.S. among teens. But while it comes from a plant, that doesn't make it safe. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-kratom-parents-risky-substance.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 17:20:01 EST news688642218 Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome (Crnic Institute) have uncovered compelling evidence that individuals with Down syndrome experience significant alterations in liver metabolism, including elevated levels of bile acids in the bloodstream and other biomarkers of liver dysfunction. The research suggests that these changes may be modifiable through diet, providing hope for improved health outcomes. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-reveals-widespread-liver-dysfunction-syndrome.html Thu, 22 Jan 2026 15:09:50 EST news688316941 At a recent party, another guest, a nurse, asked what I do for a living. I explained that as a health policy researcher, my work focuses on helping health-care systems coordinate care for dementia as effectively as for major conditions like cancer, diabetes or stroke. She stopped me mid-sentence. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-dementia-stigma-trajectory-cancer-history.html Thu, 22 Jan 2026 11:15:36 EST news688302902 Steatotic liver disease (commonly called fatty liver disease) progresses silently. Even in the absence of noticeable symptoms, changes begin to unfold inside the liver. While hepatic fat accumulation remains a defining feature of the disease, steatotic liver disease is increasingly recognized as a multifactorial condition involving metabolic dysfunction and other interacting pathological processes. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-steatotic-liver-disease-precisely-3d.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 14:39:01 EST news688228681 Every January, the same wave of "detox" promises rolls in. Juice cleanses, detox teas, charcoal capsules and liver "resets" all sell a familiar story: you overdid it over Christmas, your body is full of toxins, and you need a product to flush them out. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-video-truth-detoxes-liver-specialist.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 10:41:59 EST news688214462 A personalized blood test known as a circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) test—which detects tiny fragments of cancer DNA circulating in the bloodstream—may help identify liver cancer recurrence earlier in transplant recipients and reduce the need for invasive procedures, according to a new study from Houston Methodist. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-blood-early-liver-cancer-recurrence.html Tue, 20 Jan 2026 15:06:50 EST news688143962 Each year, more than two million people die from advanced chronic liver disease (ACLD). Previous research has linked gut microbiome disruptions to this condition and suggested that bacteria typically found in the mouth may colonize the gut. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-microbiome-oral-bacteria-play-role.html Thu, 15 Jan 2026 16:23:26 EST news687716581