Chronic non-healing wounds represent a major clinical challenge, often associated with diabetes, vascular insufficiencies and aging. Despite the substantial burden that such wounds place on patients and healthcare systems, few biomarkers have been approved for prediction of wound healing trajectories and outcomes, limiting opportunities to inform clinical management decisions or quantify patient responses to interventions. Recent advances have identified cell-free nucleic acids as powerful tools for gaining molecular insights because they offer a non-invasive, dynamic snapshot of physiological and pathological processes occurring throughout the body. In particular, cell-free RNAs from non-coding RNA families including microRNA, long non-coding RNA, circular RNA and transfer RNA fragments can be profiled on a large scale to reveal novel disease signatures to support biomarker development. The presence of such non-coding RNAs in serum, plasma or other biofluids provides a rich resource for uncovering new parameters that can support biomarker development for wound repair. In this review article, we highlight some of the current challenges associated with biomarkers for wound healing in clinical practice. We then survey the microRNAs, long non-coding RNA and circular RNAs landscape in relation to their utility as biomarkers in diabetic foot ulcers and other chronic wounds. Collectively, these extracellular RNAs offer a multifaceted view of wound biology and may serve as non-invasive biomarkers for stratifying wound severity, predicting healing outcomes and guiding personalised interventions.

Incretin-based therapies have become central to type 2 diabetes (T2D) management, offering benefits beyond glycemic control, including weight reduction, cardiovascular protection, and emerging roles in renal and neurological health. This review addresses the question: What are the recent advances in GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon receptor agonists, and how do formulation strategies overcome biopharmaceutical challenges? We systematically analyzed late-stage clinical trials and formulation approaches for peptide-based therapies. The review focuses on therapeutic efficacy, structural and physicochemical properties influencing absorption, distribution, and metabolic stability, and strategies to mitigate degradation pathways such as enzymatic hydrolysis and peptide aggregation. Additionally, innovative delivery systems such as oral peptide formulations and long-acting injectables demonstrate promise in addressing inherent challenges of peptide drug delivery. By integrating clinical outcomes with mechanistic and formulation insights, this review highlights the evolving landscape of incretin-based therapies and underscores innovative solutions for peptide stabilization and delivery. These findings provide a forward-looking perspective for clinicians, researchers, and pharmaceutical scientists engaged in T2D management and drug development.

Background: Obesity is a major health concern worldwide and the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared it a global epidemic. We aimed to analyze temporal trends of obesity prevalence worldwide. Methods: We used data of "The Global Health Observatory" of the WHO and analyzed data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2023. Obesity prevalence (crude estimates) among adults in different worldwide WHO regions and temporal trends from 1976 and 2016 were analyzed. Results: Obesity prevalence showed large regional differences. In 2016, obesity prevalence was highest in the WHO European region and the region of the Americas, at more than 20%, whereas prevalence was lower in the WHO African region, the WHO Western Pacific region and the WHO South-East Asia region, at less than 10%. The absolute increase from 1976 to 2016 comprised an increase of 19.7% in the region of the Americas, of 14.8% and 14.2% in the WHO European region and the WHO Eastern Mediterranean region, followed by 7.3% in the WHO African region, 6.0% in the WHO Western Pacific region, and 4.2% in the WHO South-East Asia region. We observed a substantially higher prevalence of obesity in females. High BMI has risen sharply in rank worldwide, now ranging among the top six global risk factors for death. Major BMI-related causes include ischemic heart disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertensive heart disease, and ischemic stroke. Conclusions: Obesity prevalence showed large regional differences and was highest in Europe and America. The prevalence of obesity increased worldwide between 1976 and 2016. Obesity prevalence was higher in females than in males. The importance of obesity for premature death increased between 1990 and 2023.

Children of parents with cancer face elevated risks of anxiety, depression, and impaired social-emotional functioning. Cancer support camps may mitigate these psychosocial challenges by fostering connection, resilience, and expression. However, no validated tools exist to measure quality of life outcomes specific to this context. This study aimed to develop and evaluate the Kids' Experience of Summer Enrichment Measure (KESEM), a parent-report tool assessing psychosocial well-being among children attending a cancer support camp due to a parent's cancer.

A secondary analysis of survey data collected from 2021 to 2024 by a national non-profit providing free, week-long summer camps to children (aged 6-18) affected by parental cancer was conducted. The KESEM, a new 12-item measure embedded in post-camp evaluations, was examined using principal components factor analysis and internal consistency reliability testing: convergent validity was assessed as well.

Responses from N = 1802 parents and N = 184 children were studied. Analysis revealed a two-factor structure: (i) Well-being and Belonging (α = 0.93) and (ii) Empowerment (α = 0.92)-accounting for 67.2% of the measure's variance. The total scale demonstrated high internal consistency (α = 0.94). In subgroup analysis, parent and child scores supported convergent validity of parental reporting on children's quality of life, and were not influenced by child age: F (1, 168) = 0.03, p = 0.87. Concordantly, the majority of parents (78%) strongly agreed that camp was favorably impactful and would recommend it to others.

The KESEM is a promising parent-reported assessment tool for measuring quality of life outcomes in children attending cancer support camps. Such camps may offer meaningful psychosocial benefits to children coping with parental cancer.

Cancer treatments often cause skin toxicities that disrupt therapy and reduce patients' quality of life, yet research on their management in the Middle East is scarce. This study aims to examine the practices and challenges of managing skin-related adverse effects in cancer patients.

A mixed-method survey was conducted on a sample of dermatologists and oncologists practicing in Middle Eastern countries who were invited to participate in Pierre Fabre's annual Middle East Medical Convention. A brief online questionnaire, distributed to 250 dermatologists and 19 oncologists, using both quantitative and qualitative approaches, assessed the frequency, types, and management of skin conditions, alongside perceived barriers and referral practices.

The study included responses from 117 dermatologists and 19 oncologists. Oncologists encountered cancer-related skin manifestations considerably more often, with 44.4% seeing such cases daily compared to 8.1% of dermatologists (p < 0.001). Notable differences were also observed in the types of skin conditions reported, such as nail changes, which were significantly more frequent among dermatologists (72.6% vs. 31.6%, p < 0.001), whereas hand-foot syndrome was markedly more commonly observed among oncologists (89.5% vs. 6.0%, p < 0.001). Dermatologists reported feeling very comfortable managing these conditions more often than oncologists (50.4% vs. 10.5%, p = 0.004). Key barriers included the severity of skin conditions, selecting appropriate dermo-cosmetic products, and limited knowledge in onco-dermatology. The qualitative analysis highlighted oncologists' challenges in managing skin toxicities under three main themes: (1) preventing cancer treatment interruptions, (2) limited specialized dermatologic knowledge and support, and (3) addressing patient-centered issues.

Findings reveal differing perspectives between dermatologists and oncologists and underscore the need for greater collaboration to optimize the management of cancer-related skin toxicities.

Member states of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), home to over 2 billion people, carry a disproportionate cancer burden shaped by stark heterogeneity in risk, access, and outcomes. Beyond large proportions of people living in poverty in the context of frail infrastructure, inequities are compounded by intersecting identities, including gender, caste, religion, language, geography, and sexual or gender minority status. Commonly, women face delayed diagnosis amid low human papillomavirus vaccination and screening; rural communities confront distance and cost; Dalit, indigenous, and refugee groups experience structural exclusion; and language discordance and cultural beliefs impede timely care. Financial toxicity is pervasive, pushing households into poverty despite emerging insurance schemes. Drawing on targeted literature from SAARC countries, we argue for an intersectionality-informed agenda: strengthen registries and national cancer control programmes with disaggregated data; expand equitable financing and workforce deployment; embed cultural competence and bias mitigation in clinical training; and prioritise research that models intersecting risks. Implementing context-appropriate strategies will be essential for achieving equitable cancer control across the region.

The phase 3 DIAMOND trial conducted in patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC) reported comparable 3-year failure-free survival rates between a cisplatin-containing versus a cisplatin-free regimen with radiotherapy, in the backbone of induction, concurrent, and adjuvant anti-programmed death-1 (anti-PD-1) therapy.¹ Reduced cisplatin-related emesis also improved quality of life. DIAMOND challenges the conventional dogma of concurrent cisplatin-radiotherapy in the treatment of LA-NPC.

The phase 3 STELLAR-303 trial¹ demonstrated a significant overall survival benefit of zanzalintinib plus atezolizumab over regorafenib in refractory microsatellite-stable (MSS) metastatic colorectal cancer, marking the first phase 3 success of an immunotherapy-based regimen in this population. These results may reshape treatment paradigms and renew interest in biomarker-guided immunotherapy for MSS disease.

Despite available treatments, patients with lymphoma may still develop relapsed or refractory diseases, highlighting the need for new therapies. Zhang et al.¹ report a phase I dose-escalation study of TQB3617, a novel BET inhibitor, in diverse lymphoma subtypes. The study showed promising safety and efficacy, including T cell and Hodgkin lymphoma, warranting further investigation.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage (EUS-BD) has evolved from a rescue therapy into a viable alternative to endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and percutaneous drainage for distal malignant biliary obstruction (dMBO). Among the available techniques, EUS-guided choledochoduodenostomy (EUS-CDS) has become the preferred approach, supported by expanding evidence, and wider adoption beyond expert centres. EUS-guided hepaticogastrostomy (EUS-HGS) currently retains a role in high-volume centres and in patients with combined biliary and duodenal obstruction, while other approaches, including EUS-guided gallbladder drainage, antegrade stenting, and rendezvous procedures, are applied selectively due to limited evidence or narrower applicability. This review summarizes the current role of EUS-BD in dMBO, with emphasis on EUS-CDS. Technical and clinical considerations, training requirements, and remaining challenges are discussed, and future perspectives are outlined, focusing on device innovation and patient-centred outcomes to guide safe and structured integration of EUS-BD into clinical practice.