Venom from stonefish species may yield new medications

Facing a cancer diagnosis can be one of the most stressful times for patients and their loved ones. When seeking a surgeon for treatment, providing emotional support and helping patients manage expectations are among the top areas of communication valued by patients, according to a new systematic review.

Depression is known to be associated with physical health challenges, in everything from disrupting sleep to an increased cancer risk. Depression can also affect surgical outcomes and postoperative costs, according to new study findings.

Adults under 50 undergoing colonoscopy were found to have a dramatically higher risk of having colorectal cancer when the procedure was done for rectal bleeding. Researchers found that rectal bleeding increased the odds of a colorectal cancer diagnosis by 8.5 times, underscoring the need to take the symptom seriously even in the absence of a family history in a population who may not otherwise meet screening age criteria.

A new national study reveals that hospitals providing surgical care have closed at a significantly higher rate than new ones have opened, with closures disproportionately concentrated in communities with high levels of poverty and social vulnerability. The study highlights a growing disparity in access to surgical care.

New study findings show that over 40% of drivers who died in motor vehicle collisions tested positive for active delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in their system, with average blood levels far exceeding those considered to cause impairment. The research highlights a significant and persistent public health risk that is unchanged by the legalization of recreational cannabis, the authors said.

While mastectomy is often a necessary and life-saving treatment option for many women with breast cancer, the surgery may contribute to worse sexual health, body image, and several other physical and emotional challenges after surgery, according to a new systematic review on the effects of mastectomy in women with breast cancer. Surgeons said the research underscores the importance of screening women before they undergo a mastectomy.

New research findings show a significant increase in the use of weight loss drugs among patients undergoing metabolic and bariatric surgery, signaling an evolution in the management of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Patients with cancer whose credit scores decline after their diagnosis face a significantly higher risk of mortality, providing the first objective data linking financial health to physical survival.

Response times for emergency medical services (EMS) in rural areas can take almost 20 minutes longer compared to the national average, and the severity of the medical needs in these communities are likely to be much worse, according to an analysis of a large national EMS database.

A new study, published in Nature Genetics, created the largest genetic map of human metabolism, revealing new insights into the role of metabolites in health and disease and creating a blueprint for further research.

Rochester General Hospital, the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, and Aga Khan University report that applying newer cardiovascular risk equations could sharply reduce the number of middle-aged adults considered candidates for aspirin to prevent heart disease.

Paying less attention to faces is one of the key markers of autism spectrum disorder. But while researchers have begun to uncover the brain network that supports processing of social stimuli such as faces, gaze, and speech, little is known about how and when it begins to develop.

Scientists have found a direct link between osteoporosis and rotator cuff tears, two conditions that often develop with age. Using health and genetic data from hundreds of thousands of people, researchers showed that fragile bones increase the risk of painful shoulder injuries, especially in women. They also identified shared genetic variants, offering fresh insight into the biological ties between bone and tendon weakness and pointing toward targeted prevention and treatment strategies.

Adding human coaches to artificial intelligence-powered weight-loss programs significantly boosts user success, underscoring the value of hybrid human-AI models in digital health, a new study suggests.

A new study from Karolinska Institutet shows that an unusual heart rhythm disorder, POTS, is particularly common in people with long COVID. The majority of those affected are middle-aged women. The study has been published in the journal Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology.

Babies whose mothers had greater access to sugar during pregnancy—specifically in 1949, when sugar consumption spiked due to the temporary end of confectionery rationing—grew up to have lower body weight and ate less sugar later in life, a new University of Bristol-led study has found.

Influenza-associated encephalopathy (IAE) and the severe form termed acute necrotizing encephalopathy (ANE) occurred in 109 children in the 2024 to 2025 influenza season, according to research published in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Johnson & Johnson's Tremfya (guselkumab) for the treatment of plaque psoriasis and active psoriatic arthritis in children 6 years of age and older.