Modern breast cancer screening and treatment have transformed survival. Many women now live long and healthy lives after diagnosis, thanks to increasingly effective chemotherapy and targeted therapies: medicines designed to attack particular features of cancer cells.

A study of 2,044 older Japanese adults found that those with lower vitamin C levels in their blood plasma tended to have a lower volume of gray matter in their brains, as well as lower connectivity among a collection of brain regions known as the default mode network. Haruka Nagaya of Hirosaki University, Japan, and colleagues present these findings in PLOS One.

A straightforward blood-based assessment developed at the Institute of Science Tokyo, Japan, can help assess how effectively high-density lipoprotein (HDL) removes cholesterol from blood vessel walls, a function known as cholesterol efflux capacity (CEC). The study linked low CEC to high-risk coronary plaque, supporting the broader clinical use of this method for predicting cardiovascular risk and improving preventive strategies.

In a study exploring how an AI-assisted diagnostic tool shaped care for underserved populations at multiple community-based primary care sites, investigators at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins Medicine, found that African American patients with diabetes were more likely to receive a diabetic eye exam referral if screened by an AI tool.

For those scared of needles but who need GLP-1 receptor agonists to help manage their weight, there might be some good news. Researchers are testing a new oral, small-molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist called Elecoglipron, which could offer the weight-loss benefits of GLP-1 therapy without injections.