Mechanical forces from the beating heart may help prevent cancer cell growth

Scientists may have discovered another way the human body tries to protect itself from cancer. New research on mice suggests that the heart's constant beating may prevent tumor growth in cardiac tissue. Most organs are vulnerable to cancer, but the heart is something of an anomaly. While cancer can spread from other parts of the body to the heart, tumors rarely start there. It's a medical mystery that has puzzled scientists for years.

Researchers at the International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) suspected that it may have something to do with mechanical load and physical forces of the heartbeat, so they decided to investigate. That is, the physical stress the heart muscle is under as it constantly contracts and relaxes to pump blood could be what helps protect the heart from cancer growth.

The study is published in the journal Science, as well as a Perspective.

The team first transplanted a donor mouse heart into the neck of another mouse. This second heart had a blood supply but was not mechanically pumping blood around the body. Then they injected cancer cells into both hearts to compare tumor behavior. While tumor cells spread aggressively in the transplanted heart, cancer cells replaced only about 20% of the tissue in the original beating heart.

To understand what could be happening at the cellular level, the scientists created engineered heart tissue (EHT) in the lab. They varied the mechanical load on the tissue by stretching and altering pressure to monitor its effect on the growth of human lung cancer cells. The more pressure they put on the EHT, the slower the cancer cells grew.

"Mechanical forces in the beating heart protect it from cancer by halting cancer cell proliferation," they wrote in their paper.

The research team also analyzed cell samples of patients whose cancer had spread to the heart and compared them with tumors in other parts of the body. According to the study's findings, mechanical forces alter how cells organize their DNA by interacting with the protein Nesprin-2.
When the heart squeezes, Nesprin-2 senses the pressure and helps transmit that mechanical signal to the cell's nucleus. In response, the packaging of DNA in a structure called chromatin changes. It becomes less compact, which makes it easier for the cell to access and activate genes that slow cancer cell growth.

When researchers silenced the Nesprin-2 protein in those cancer cells, they couldn't sense the mechanical pressure and began to grow and multiply. "Nesprin-2 is a key molecule sensing these forces and translating them into reduced cell proliferation."

If scientists could mimic these mechanical forces with drugs or technology, they could potentially stop cancer cells in their tracks.

Giulio Ciucci et al, Mechanical load inhibits cancer growth in mouse and human hearts, Science (2026). DOI: 10.1126/science.ads9412

Wyatt G. Paltzer et al, The heart puts pressure on cancer growth, Science (2026). DOI: 10.1126/science.aeg8798

Consuming legumes and soy-based foods may help improve symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by reducing inflammation and irritation

Consuming legumes and soy-based foods may help improve symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by reducing inflammation and irritation, according to a new study published in the March 2026 issue of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation.

COPD, which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis, is a progressive, inflammatory lung disease that affects  millions and is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide. Previous research has identified diet and nutrition as modifiable risk factors for chronic lung disease, including COPD.

This new study examined how increased isoflavone consumption impacted participants' breathing symptoms, cough, and overall lung health. Isoflavones are a natural substance commonly found in legumes and soy-based foods.

Study results showed people with higher isoflavone consumption experienced fewer breathing-related symptoms, including reduced coughing and less difficulty clearing mucus, and improved lung health.

Daniel C. Belz et al, Isoflavone Intake is Associated With Decreased Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Morbidity, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation (2026). DOI: 10.15326/jcopdf.2025.0695

Ultra-processed foods damage your focus even if you eat healthily
Higher intake of ultra-processed foods is associated with reduced attention span and lower scores on cognitive tests measuring visual attention and processing speed, independent of overall diet quality. The degree of food processing, rather than just nutrient content, plays a critical role in cognitive decline and increases risk factors for dementia, such as hypertension and obesity.
New research shows that a diet high in heavily processed foods can negatively impact the brain's ability to focus and increases the risk of developing dementia.
The findings demonstrate that a slight daily increase in a person's intake of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) is linked to a measurable drop in attention span—even if someone otherwise eats healthily.
Because the negative effects of UPFs take place regardless of a person's overall diet quality, even for people following a healthy Mediterranean diet, researchers say the degree of food processing plays a critical role in the damage.
Food ultra-processing often destroys the natural structure of food and introduces potentially harmful substances like artificial additives or processing chemicals.
These additives suggest the link between diet and cognitive function extends beyond just missing out on foods known as healthy, pointing to mechanisms linked to the degree of food processing itself.
Eating more UPFs was linked to an increase in dementia risk factors, which include health conditions such as high blood pressure or obesity that can actively be managed to protect the brain.

Barbara R. Cardoso et al, Ultra‐processed food intake, cognitive function, and dementia risk: A cross‐sectional study of middle‐aged and older Australian adults, Alzheimer's & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring (2026). DOI: 10.1002/dad2.70335