A new cancer treatment developed in China has just been approved for patients whose kidney cancer has progressed after the first round of therapy. The regimen pairs fruquintinib, a drug that blocks blood‑vessel growth in tumors, with sintilimab, an immune‑system booster. In a large clinical trial (FRUSICA‑2), the combination outperformed two widely used alternatives, delivering longer periods without disease worsening and a safety profile doctors consider manageable. About 60% of patients experienced serious side effects, but most were mild to moderate issues like protein in the urine, thyroid changes, or hand‑foot skin reactions, and no unexpected problems emerged. Experts say the duo could become a new standard for second‑line treatment, offering benefits that rival first‑line options and potentially extending patients’ lives. The approval marks the first time a domestically created targeted‑immunotherapy combo has cleared China’s regulatory hurdle for kidney cancer, highlighting the country’s growing strength in drug innovation. Researchers are already eyeing whether the pair could work even earlier in the disease course or against other hard‑to‑treat kidney‑cancer subtypes, promising broader hope for patients worldwide.
Read moreAt the European Atherosclerosis Society’s 2026 congress in Athens, Professor Lale Tokgözoğlu – co‑chair of the scientific committee – gave an insider’s view of the event’s most exciting advances. The program blended clinical trials with laboratory discoveries, featuring joint sessions with the European Society of Cardiology, the American College of Cardiology and other leading groups. A major theme was simplifying treatment for older patients: researchers are testing oral combination pills, and a “triple‑therapy” tablet that merges three cholesterol‑lowering drugs could soon replace multiple prescriptions. Another breakthrough on the horizon is a simple retinal scan that can reveal the health of a person’s arteries, offering a quick, non‑invasive diagnostic tool. Professor Tokgözoğlu also highlighted China’s rapid progress in nanotechnology, where tiny carriers can deliver tiny doses of medication directly to atherosclerotic plaques, reducing side‑effects. Artificial intelligence is reshaping cardiovascular imaging, helping doctors read scans faster and more accurately. The conference also debated more aggressive LDL‑C targets for ultra‑high‑risk patients and explored future directions such as gene‑editing and nucleic‑acid therapies. Overall, the gathering painted a bright picture of a future where heart‑disease prevention is smarter, simpler and far more personalized.
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