Health
Ancient 'pharaoh's curse' fungus shows promise in killing cancer cells
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A potentially deadly fungus known as “pharaoh’s curse fungus” could offer an unexpected path to fighting cancer, recent research shows.
Scientists from the University of Pennsylvania modified molecules from the fungus — which is officially called Aspergillus flavus — to create a new compound and enhance its cancer-killing properties.
“Fungi gave us penicillin,” said Dr. Xue (Sherry) Gao, an associate professor at UPenn and leader of the study, in a press release. “These results show that many more medicines derived from natural products remain to be found.”
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The findings were published in the journal Nature Chemical Biology.
Aspergillus flavus is found in decaying leaves and compost, as well as on trees, plants and some crops, according to Mayo Clinic.
A sample of Aspergillus flavus cultured in the Gao Lab at the University of Pennsylvania. (Bella Ciervo / UPenn)
While the fungus doesn’t endanger most healthy people, it can cause respiratory issues for those who have weakened immune systems or are taking certain medications.
Some of the more severe complications of the fungus can include bleeding in the lungs and life-threatening infections in the brain, heart and kidneys, Mayo Clinic stated.
History of the ‘curse’
After archaeologists opened King Tut’s tomb in the 1920s, multiple members of the excavation team died suddenly, fueling rumors of a “curse” upon those who dared interfere with the pharaoh’s rest, according to the UPenn press release.
After archaeologists opened King Tut’s tomb in the 1920s, members of the excavation team died suddenly, fueling rumors of a “curse” upon those who disturbed the pharaoh’s rest. (Historica Graphica Collection/Heritage Images/Getty Images)
Decades later, doctors hypothesized that fungal spores, which had been dormant for thousands of years, could have infected the team.
In the 1970s, it happened again, the university stated.
A dozen scientists entered another tomb, this time in Poland — and 10 died within a few weeks. Later investigations were said to reveal the presence of Aspergillus flavus in the tomb.
Cancer-fighting potential
Now, the same fungus linked to King Tut’s tomb could have the capability to fight leukemia in a new form of cancer therapy.
“There are a variety of compounds able to be produced by fungus,” Gao told Fox News Digital.
These compounds can be toxic to different cells, she noted, depending on the “biological management we are able to mitigate.”
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The study aimed to find a specific kind of compound — ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides, or “RiPPs” — within Aspergillus flavus, which was previously shown to be a good source.
When this compound is able to enter cancer cells, Gao said, it may be able to stop their growth.
“Cancer cells divide uncontrollably,” Gao said in the release. “These compounds block the formation of microtubules, which are essential for cell division.”
First author Qiuyue Nie and coauthor Maria Zotova, from left, purify samples of the fungus in the UPenn lab. (Bella Ciervo / UPenn)
When mixed with human cancer cells, two variants of the molecules within these RiPPS were found to have potent effects against leukemia cells, the researchers found.
Another variant performed as well as two FDA-approved drugs that have been used for decades to treat leukemia (cytarabine and daunorubicin).
Potential limitations
Tiffany Troso-Sandoval, M.D., a medical oncologist and cancer care consultant based in New York, cautioned that this study, which was performed on cell cultures, is still in the very early stages.
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“It’s still very far away from being applicable to use in humans with leukemia,” Troso-Sandoval, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
Speaking about RiPPs, the doctor told Fox News Digital, “What they’re referring to [in the study] is basically a rare type of bioactive molecule that they have isolated from this fungus.”
There are multiple subtypes of leukemia, Troso-Sandoval pointed out, including acute and chronic forms.
“One treatment might not work on [another] type of leukemia,” she noted. Further testing is needed to determine which subtypes may contain the active molecule.
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a type of blood cancer. Once the identified compound is able to enter cancer cells, it may be able to stop their uncontrolled growth, the researchers said. (iStock)
The compound explored in the study had little to no effect on breast, liver or lung cancer cells, the researchers noted.
This suggests that its disruptive effects only work on certain types of cells, which will be an important consideration when developing medications.
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Looking ahead, the researchers plan to test the fungus’ potential in animal models and, ultimately, human trials.
Gao told Fox News Digital she is “excited about what nature can create and how it can benefit our society.”
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The study received support from the National Institutes of Health, the University of Pennsylvania, the Welch Foundation, the Houston Area Molecular Biophysics Program, the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas and the National Science Foundation.
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As colorectal cancer (CRC) is now the leading cause of cancer death in adults under 50, a new report reveals some surprising shifts in the incidence of the disease.
Although rates of CRC have been declining among seniors, those 65 and under are facing a rise in diagnoses, according to a report titled Colorectal Cancer Statistics, 2026, from the American Cancer Society.
Adults 65 and younger comprise nearly half (45%) of all new colorectal cancer cases — a significant increase from 27% in 1995, states the report, which was published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
The disease is rising fastest among adults 20 to 49 years old, at a rate of 3% per year.
Colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer death in adults under 50. (iStock)
Among adults 50 and under, 75% of colorectal cancers are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Half of the diagnoses in that age range are made between the ages of 45 and 49. Although that age group is eligible to receive routine screenings, just 37% do so.
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The report also revealed that rectal cancer is on the rise, now accounting for about one-third (32%) of all CRC cases — an increase from 27% in the mid-2000s.
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“After decades of progress, the risk of dying from colorectal cancer is climbing in younger generations of men and women, confirming a real uptick in disease because of something we’re doing or some other exposure,” said Rebecca Siegel, senior scientific director, surveillance research at the American Cancer Society and lead author of the report, in a press release.
Among adults 50 and under, 75% of colorectal cancers are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Half of the diagnoses in that age range are made between the ages of 45 and 49. (iStock)
“We need to redouble research efforts to understand the cause, but also circumvent deaths through earlier detection by educating clinicians and the general public about symptoms and increasing screening in people 45-54 years.”
It is projected that 158,850 new cases of colorectal cancer will be diagnosed this year, and that the disease will cause 55,230 deaths, per the report.
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More than half of CRC cases can be linked to high-risk behaviors, the researchers said. Those include lack of nutrition, high alcohol consumption, smoking, lack of exercise and obesity.
“These findings further underscore that colorectal cancer is worsening among younger generations and highlight the immediate need for eligible adults to begin screening at the recommended age of 45,” said Dr. William Dahut, chief scientific officer at the American Cancer Society.
When the disease is caught at a local (early) stage, the five-year survival rate is 95%. (iStock)
“The report also shines a light on the crucial importance of continued funding for research to help discover new therapies to treat the disease and advance patient care.”
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When the disease is caught at a local (early) stage, the five-year survival rate is 95%, the report stated.
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A new study suggests that middle-aged men may be more vulnerable to faster biological aging, potentially linked to exposure to “forever chemicals.”
The research, published in the journal Frontiers in Aging, examined how perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, more commonly known as PFAS, could impact aging at the cellular level.
PFAS are synthetic chemicals commonly used in nonstick cookware, food packaging, water-resistant fabrics and other consumer products, the study noted.
Their chemical structure makes them highly resistant to breaking down, allowing them to accumulate in water, soil and the human body.
Chinese researchers analyzed blood samples from 326 adults enrolled in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 1999 and 2000.
A new study suggests that middle-aged men could face accelerated biological aging at the cellular level due to exposure to PFAS. (iStock)
The researchers measured levels of 11 PFAS compounds in participants’ blood and used DNA-based “epigenetic clocks” — tools that analyze chemical changes to DNA to estimate biological age — to determine how quickly their bodies were aging at the cellular level, the study stated.
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Two compounds, perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorooctanesulfonamide (PFOSA), were detected in 95% of participants.
Higher concentrations of those chemicals were associated with faster biological aging in men of certain age groups, but not in women.
“People should not panic.”
The compounds most strongly linked to accelerated aging were not the PFAS chemicals that typically receive the most public attention, the researchers noted.
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“The associations were strongest in adults aged 50 to 64, particularly in men,” Dr. Xiangwei Li, professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and the study’s corresponding author, told Fox News Digital.
“While this does not establish that PFAS cause aging, it suggests that these widely present ‘forever chemicals’ may be linked to molecular changes related to long-term health and aging.”
The study found that two of the compounds were detected in 95% of participants, and higher levels were linked to faster biological aging in men ages 50–64. (iStock)
Midlife may represent a more sensitive biological period, when the body becomes more vulnerable to age-related stressors, according to the researchers.
Lifestyle factors, such as smoking, may influence biological aging markers, potentially increasing vulnerability to environmental pollutants.
While Li said “people should not panic,” she does recommend looking for reasonable ways to reduce exposure.
That might mean checking local drinking water reports, using certified water filters designed to reduce PFAS, and limiting the use of stain- or grease-resistant products when alternatives are available.
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Meaningful reductions in PFAS exposure will likely depend on broader regulatory action and environmental cleanup efforts, Li added.
The researchers noted that midlife could be a particularly sensitive stage, when the body is more susceptible to stressors associated with aging. (iStock)
Study limitations
The researchers outlined several important limitations of the research, including that the findings show an association, but do not prove that PFAS directly causes accelerated aging.
“The study is cross-sectional, meaning exposure and aging markers were measured at the same time, so we cannot determine causality,” Li told Fox News Digital.
The study was also relatively small, limited to 326 adults age 50 or older, which means the findings may not apply to younger people or broader populations.
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Researchers measured PFAS levels using data collected between 1999 and 2000, and today’s exposure patterns may differ.
Li added that while PFAS is known to persist in the environment and the body, these results should be validated through larger, more recent studies that follow participants over time.
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