Recent research presented at major medical meetings has highlighted three areas of clinical interest: the long-term cancer risk associated with appendicitis treatment, skin and hair changes reported among GLP-1 drug users, and sustained benefits from an experimental CAR-T therapy for autoimmune neurological disorders.
Appendectomy Associated With Lower Colorectal Cancer Risk
An analysis of more than 30,000 patients with acute appendicitis found that those who underwent appendectomy had a lower rate of subsequent colorectal cancer than patients treated with antibiotics alone.
Researchers reviewed records of 15,774 patients who underwent appendectomy and 15,295 who received antibiotic treatment. Colorectal cancer was later diagnosed in 0.7% of the surgery group, compared with 1.7% of those treated with antibiotics.
After adjusting for individual risk factors, appendectomy was associated with a 58% lower relative risk of a later colorectal cancer diagnosis.
Researchers said the findings do not establish that appendix removal prevents cancer. The study also could not determine whether persistent inflammation or changes in the gut microbiome explain the association.
GLP-1 Users Report Higher Rates of Nail and Hair Changes
Separate studies presented at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology Congress reported higher rates of nail detachment and hair-related changes among people taking GLP-1 drugs for obesity or diabetes.
Among 575 first-time GLP-1 users, 39% reported nail detachment, compared with 9% of 1,329 non-users.
Hair loss was also reported more frequently among GLP-1 users, with 26% reporting hair loss compared with 12% of non-users. Reduced hair volume or density was reported by 42% of users versus 19% of non-users.
Researchers noted that the studies do not prove GLP-1 medicines caused these changes. The findings suggest that mechanisms beyond weight loss alone may contribute to some hair, scalp and nail symptoms.
Experimental CAR-T Therapy Shows Sustained Benefits in Autoimmune Diseases
An experimental CAR-T cell therapy developed by Kyverna Therapeutics has shown sustained improvements in patients with severe autoimmune neurological conditions.
The therapy, mivocabtagene autoleucel (miv-cel), was associated with improvements in walking ability and other measures among patients with stiff-person syndrome, with benefits reported to persist for one year after treatment.
Follow-up research in patients with generalized myasthenia gravis also reported improvements in symptoms and the ability to perform daily activities.
Miv-cel is currently being studied in a late-stage trial for myasthenia gravis, with enrollment expected to be completed in 2027. Researchers are continuing to evaluate the therapy’s longer-term effectiveness and safety.
