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Doctors have begun the first global study of why some people with cancer beat the odds and survive so much longer than expected.

Many cancer specialists have anecdotal stories of patients who have overcome even the most aggressive forms of the disease, despite being given only months to live.

The Rosalind study will now bring together large numbers of ‘super survivors’, allowing scientists to look for clues to why they have responded so well to treatment, while others die.

In the past doctors may have put stark differences in survival down to luck.

But Dr Thankamma Ajithkumar, who is leading the UK arm of the study at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, said the hunt was on for a more scientific reason.

“This is the first time anybody has tried to answer this question why there is a select group of people who do exceptionally well after these dreadful cancers,” he told Sky News.

“We will have a much larger database to say more confidently that this is what is making you live longer.”

The study will focus on some of the most aggressive forms of the disease – extensive-stage small cell lung cancer, the brain cancer glioblastoma, and metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Just 3% to 5% of patients are still alive five years after diagnosis.

‘I never believed I was going to die’

Katherine Webster will be joining the study.

She was found to have a stage four glioblastoma after suffering a seizure on a train. Scans revealed the tumour in her brain was around 8cm across.

Yet after surgery and a course of radiotherapy and chemo all signs of the cancer disappeared.

Her latest scan, in December, showed she only has a small fluid-filled space in the left side of her brain.

“I never believed I was going to die,” she said.

“I just remember coming out of the surgery and saying, ‘I’m going to fight this’.

“Having that positive mental attitude has been really important for me.”

Doctors have begun the first global study of why some people with cancer beat the odds and survive so much longer than expected. UK arm of the study is at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust. Picture from Thomas Moore package. Uploaded 27 January 2025

Katherine rows regularly near where she lives in Cambridge. Apart from tiring easily and having an occasional tremor in her hand, she is well.

“The thing that really struck me was the study’s approach,” she said.

“It’s looking at the positive effects, why you survive as opposed to why you get ill, which is the normal default setting for studies these days.

“It synchronised with my approach to the disease.”

Scientists in more than 40 countries – including eight cancer centres in the UK – will take part in the study.

They’ll analyse detailed biological information from more than 1,000 patients and their tumours, comparing genetic mutations, proteins and other factors that may determine their response to treatment.

Doctors have begun the first global study of why some people with cancer beat the odds and survive so much longer than expected. UK arm of the study is at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust. Picture from Thomas Moore package. Uploaded 27 January 2025

‘We might find targets for drugs’

Dr Ajithkumar said: “We hope to answer our basic curiosity of why somebody is alive.

“And second, we might find a number of targets for future drugs.”

The study is being run by French biotech startup Cure51, with backing from the venture capital firm Sofinnova.

Read more on Sky News:
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Nicolas Wolikow, Cure51’s co-founder, told Sky News that the aim was to “kill cancer” in 20 years.

“The ambition of the project is to eradicate cancer,” he said.

“If we could unlock these biological mechanisms that are possessed by these survivors and replicate that for the majority of patients, I think we could do it.”

Super survivors who are interested in taking part in the UK arm of the study can get more info at https://www.cuh.nhs.uk/news/trust-backs-international-cancer-study-aided-by-super-survivors/

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Israeli forces kill two Palestinian men in West Bank after they appear to surrender

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Israeli forces kill two Palestinian men in West Bank after they appear to surrender

Israeli forces killed two Palestinian men in the West Bank after they appeared to be surrendering.

Palestinians said the killings, which were captured on video and shown on two Arab TV channels, were carried out “in cold blood”.

In the video, the men were seen exiting a building and lying on the ground in front of Israeli forces in the northern West Bank city of Jenin.

Both men lifted their T-shirts and held their hands in the air, apparently to show they were not carrying weapons or explosives.

The soldiers then appeared to order the men back inside the building before they were shot.

A Reuters journalist in the area saw the men leave the building, appearing to surrender, and later, after hearing shots fired, saw Israeli forces standing near what appeared to be a lifeless body.

The men were identified as al Muntasir Abdullah, 26, and Yousef Asasa, 37, by Palestinian authorities.

Footage of the incident has been broadcast on Arab TV channels
Image:
Footage of the incident has been broadcast on Arab TV channels

What has Israel said about the incident?

A joint statement between the Israeli Defence Forces and Israeli police said: “Earlier this evening (Thursday), during an Israel Border Police and IDF operation in the area of Jenin, the forces operated to apprehend wanted individuals who had carried out terror activities, including hurling explosives and firing at security forces.

“The wanted individuals were affiliated with a terror network in the area of Jenin.

“The forces entered the area, enclosed the structure in which the suspects were located, and initiated a surrender procedure that lasted several hours. Following the use of engineering tools on the structure, the two suspects exited.

“Following their exit, fire was directed toward the suspects.

“The incident is under review by the commanders on the ground, and will be transferred to the relevant professional bodies.”

Israel’s far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said the military and police unit involved in the shooting had his “full backing”.

“The fighters acted exactly as expected of them – terrorists should die!” he wrote on X.

A Reuters journalist captured images from near the scene. Pic: Reuters
Image:
A Reuters journalist captured images from near the scene. Pic: Reuters

‘An outright extrajudicial killing’

But Palestinians and human rights groups say Israeli investigations in such incidents yield few results, with Israeli troops rarely prosecuted.

The Palestinian prime minister’s office in Ramallah also accused Israel of executing the men “in cold blood”, calling the shooting “an outright extrajudicial killing in blatant violation of international humanitarian law”.

Yuli Novak, the executive director of B’Tselem, an Israeli human rights organisation, said: “The execution documented today is the result of an accelerated process of dehumanisation of Palestinians and the complete abandonment of their lives by the Israeli regime.

“In Israel, there is no mechanism that acts to stop the killing of Palestinians or is capable of prosecuting those responsible.”

Read more from Sky News:
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Israel’s military has scaled up its military operations in the West Bank since the October 7 Hamas attack, which triggered the war in Gaza.

Since October 2023, Israeli forces and settlers have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians in the West Bank, according to B’Tselem, which said the perpetrators were “granted full impunity by Israel”.

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Trump says land operations against Venezuela drugs gangs to start ‘very soon’

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Trump says land operations against Venezuela drugs gangs to start 'very soon'

Donald Trump has warned US action against suspected Venezuelan drug traffickers will move to the land “very soon”.

American forces have carried out at least 21 strikes on boats it claims were carrying narcotics to its shores over the last few months.

The US has accused the South American country’s president, Nicolas Maduro, of being involved in the drugs trade – a claim he denies.

Venezuela has said the attacks, which have killed more than 80 people, amount to murder.

Mr Trump made the comments while in Florida for Thanksgiving. Pic: Reuters
Image:
Mr Trump made the comments while in Florida for Thanksgiving. Pic: Reuters

‘We warned them,’ says Trump

America’s most advanced aircraft carrier is among the ships that have been deployed to the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific as part of Operation Southern Spear.

Mr Trump said on Thursday he was preparing to significantly ramp up the response.

“You probably noticed that people aren’t wanting to be delivering by sea, and we’ll be starting to stop them by land also,” he told military service members in a call.

“The land is easier, but that’s going to start very soon.”

“We warned them to stop sending poison to our country,” Mr Trump added.

The US has released videos of boats being targeted, but hasn’t provided evidence – such as photos of their cargo – to support the smuggling claims.

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Three killed as US strikes another alleged drug boat

Even if the boats are cartel vessels, Sky’s chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay says the final destination for the drugs is likely to be Europe and West Africa.

The Pentagon has sought to justify the strikes by labelling the drug gangs as foreign terrorist organisations – putting them on par with the likes of al Qaeda and Hamas.

This week it formally designated Cartel de los Soles (Cartel of the Suns) as such, and said the group was headed by Mr Maduro and “other high-ranking individuals” from his regime.

Another Venezuelan drugs group, Tren de Aragua, was designated a terror organisation by the US in January.

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Venezuelan president dances to speech remix

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The US-Venezuela crisis explained

Mr Maduro – seen by most countries as a dictator who’s cheated elections – has accused the US of “fabricating” a war to overthrow him and install a more favourable government.

Venezuelan officials have also claimed Mr Trump’s true motivation is access to the country’s plentiful oil reserves and other natural resources such as gold and diamonds.

Experts say Mr Maduro, 63, could use oil as a bargaining chip in any future negotiations.

Mr Trump has said previously he would be open to talks – but that prospect seems unlikely, with the Venezuelan leader wielding a sword this week as he vowed to “defend every inch of this blessed land from imperialist threat”.

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Swiss tourist killed in Australia shark attack – as partner in critical condition after fighting to save her

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Swiss tourist killed in Australia shark attack - as partner in critical condition after fighting to save her

A Swiss woman has died in a shark attack in Australia – with her partner in a critical condition after trying to save her.

It happened on Thursday at Kylies Beach in Crowdy Bay, near Port Macquarie, about 218 miles (350km) north of Sydney.

Police said a passer-by who made a tourniquet to stem the man’s bleeding had probably saved his life.

Switzerland’s foreign affairs office didn’t name the victims – who are both believed to be in their 20s – but confirmed they were Swiss citizens.

The pair are said to have arrived the night before, camping nearby before going for a swim with dolphins at dawn – a time when sharks are more active.

The man suffered major wounds to his thigh after trying to fight off the shark and dragging his partner more than 50m back to shore, reported Sky News Australia.

The woman died on the sand but call handlers instructed the passer-by how to fashion a tourniquet from a swimsuit in order to treat the man.

Early assessments indicate a bull shark may be responsible. File pic: iStock
Image:
Early assessments indicate a bull shark may be responsible. File pic: iStock

New South Wales Ambulance superintendent Josh Smyth said the backpacker’s quick thinking was “heroic” and created valuable time for them to reach the remote, unpatrolled beach.

Sky News Australia said initial indications are a large, mature bull shark may be responsible.

The beach has been closed while drones scour the area and drumlines have been laid in the hope of capturing the shark.

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Authorities are also reportedly reviewing “harrowing footage” captured by the couple before the attack that could reveal more about what happened.

The man remains in a critical condition after being airlifted to hospital.

The attack comes two months after a man was killed by a shark, believed to be a great white, while surfing at a popular Sydney beach.

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