University of Florence

Adjuvant radiation therapy improved health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and reduced treatment-related adverse effects (TRAEs) compared to endocrine therapy alone at 24 months in older patients with stage I hormone receptor–positive, HER2-negative breast cancer, according to the EUROPA trial. Radiation therapy showed better outcomes in physical, role, emotional, cognitive, and social functioning, and more favorable symptom outcomes. No ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence, locoregional relapse, or breast cancer-related death occurred in either group at 24 months. Treatment-related adverse events were less frequent in the radiation therapy group.

ER visits increase by 10-15% on high air pollution days, driven by trauma cases and breathing difficulties, particularly among younger patients and seniors. Traffic-related pollution likely contributes to this trend, stressing ERs and potentially worsening patient outcomes.

Researchers developed a method using tartrazine (yellow food dye) to make mice transparent, allowing visualization of internal organs without surgery. This topical technique, funded by the National Science Foundation, could revolutionize biomedical research and diagnostics, though it currently provides transparency only to a depth of about three millimeters.