Bone cancer therapy unexpectedly makes tumours less painful

What’s Happening

Breaking it down: A drug that kills cancer cells by puncturing them comes with an additional benefit: tests in mice suggest it reduces the growth of pain-sensing nerves around tumours Health Bone cancer therapy unexpectedly makes tumours less painful A drug that kills cancer cells comes with an additional benefit: tests in mice suggest it reduces the growth of pain-sensing nerves around tumours By Carissa Wong 23 January 2026 Facebook / Meta Twitter / X icon Linkedin Reddit Email An artists impression of nanomedicine in action ALFRED PASIEKA/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY Cancer that spreads to bones can be deadly, and it also tends to be painful.

Now, a drug seems to address both problems interplay between nerves and tumours, suggesting the approach could provide a more comfortable form of cancer therapy. “This highlights a new, exciting paradigm where a single cancer therapy can improve mortality and quality of life at the same time,” says William Hwang at Harvard University, who wasn’t involved in the new research. (yes, really)

Between 65 and 80 per cent of people with breast or prostate cancer that has spread to distant sites in the body end up with cancer in their bones.

The Details

As these skeletal tumours grow, they tend to stimulate nearby pain-sensing nerves. The alarming rise of colorectal cancer diagnoses in people under 50 Radiotherapy, where X-rays are fired at tumours, and chemotherapy, which targets rapidly dividing cells with powerful drugs, are commonly used to shrink such bone growths.

But pain often persists because any remaining cancer cells continue to interact with nerves. Whats more, conventional therapies often damage healthy tissue – leading to prolonged use of painkillers like opioids, which carry the risk of addiction, says Jiajia Xiang at Zhejiang University in China.

Why This Matters

Now, Xiang and his colleagues have developed a “nanotherapy” made of tiny, fatty capsules containing DNA encoding for the protein gasdermin B, which kills cells in them.

Scientists and researchers are watching this development closely.

The Bottom Line

This story is still developing, and we’ll keep you updated as more info drops.

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