Medical Research & Technology

Little Rock – September 12, 2026 -- The American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) will host its 51st annual National Patient Meeting September 10-13, 2026, in Little Rock, Arkansas, with free admission and meals for kidney patients, family members, care partners, and living organ donors. Pre-registration is encouraged online or by calling (800) 749-2257.

The event opens with a free policy forum at the Clinton Presidential Center

AAKP's Public Policy Forum runs September 10 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. CT at the William J. Clinton Presidential Center, with doors opening at noon and lunch provided. The session covers kidney research, innovation, and how federal regulatory and reimbursement decisions affect patient care. Registration is required.

Irving, Texas – September 11, 2026 -- Caris Life Sciences has launched a national awareness campaign called "Math," featuring actor Kevin Costner, to promote Caris Detect, a multi-cancer early detection blood test now available across the United States.

The blood test screens for cancer signals before symptoms appear

Caris Detect combines ultra-deep Whole Genome Sequencing, Whole Transcriptome Sequencing, and artificial intelligence to scan the bloodstream for molecular signals associated with cancer. Unlike tests that check only a limited set of biomarkers, the company says its approach analyzes the entire genome and transcriptome for a broader molecular picture. The test is designed to complement, not replace, routine cancer screenings.

Berlin – September 11, 2026 -- Diabetes can silently damage the eyes years before patients notice any change in their vision, yet new data show barely half of people with type 2 diabetes get the recommended eye exam. To close that gap, German health insurer mkk - meine krankenkasse now offers its members a free eye screening from Skleo Health at participating opticians and drugstores.

About seven million adults in Germany live with known or undiagnosed diabetes, according to the Robert Koch Institute. One serious complication is diabetic retinopathy, damage to the tiny blood vessels in the retina caused by diabetes duration, high blood sugar, and hypertension. Retinal changes can develop long before someone experiences blurred vision or other symptoms.

Munich – September 09, 2026 -- A new two-part investigative docuseries, "Seelenfänger: Der falsche Heiler," premieres October 13, 2026 in the ARD Mediathek and airs October 19, 2026 at 11:30 p.m. on BR Fernsehen, documenting families who lost loved ones after they trusted the pseudo-medical theory known as "Germanische Neue Medizin" (Germanic New Medicine).

The theory rejects evidence-based cancer treatment

Germanic New Medicine frames cancer not as a disease but as the physical manifestation of an unresolved psychological conflict. Followers of the theory are encouraged to reject conventional, evidence-based medical treatment -- a choice the docuseries links directly to preventable deaths.

Somerset, N.J. – September 08, 2026 -- A prostate cancer specialist with more than 30 years of experience says his own diagnosis nearly slipped through the cracks despite a PSA reading that looked normal, a warning he's sharing as ProCure Proton Therapy Center marks National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.

Dr. Edward Soffen said his PSA level was actually slightly lower than it had been six months earlier when his urologist flagged the result as 'labile,' meaning it fluctuates. That prompted a urine DNA test, which showed a 50 percent malignancy risk. A follow-up MRI and biopsy confirmed cancer.

A PSA under 4 ng/mL doesn't rule out cancer

Dr. Soffen said men with PSA readings in the 'normal' range, under 4 ng/mL, should still report any fluctuation to their doctor and ask about additional testing that can catch cancers PSA alone might miss.

San Francisco – September 07, 2026 -- Mito Health has run more than one million lab tests and expanded its direct-to-consumer diagnostics marketplace into seven categories of preventive testing, letting customers order bloodwork, imaging, and genetic screening without insurance, a doctor's referral, or a surprise bill.

The company built its first two years around 100-plus-biomarker longevity panels sold directly to consumers. Its catalog now covers fertility planning, strength and body composition testing, chronic disease baseline markers, nutrient and heavy-metal screening, inherited disease risk, and tuberculosis testing required for school enrollment.

Hudson, Florida – September 07, 2026 -- The Bonati Spine Institute has published a list of questions it says chronic back and neck pain patients should ask any surgeon proposing spinal surgery, timed to September's Pain Awareness Month.

"Most of the people who come to us have been in pain for years, and most of them have been treated for years," said Dr. Alfred Bonati, founder and chief orthopedic surgeon of the institute. "Many of them have never gotten a straight answer to one basic question: what specifically is generating this pain, and how do you know?"

Columbia, Md. – September 07, 2026 -- A new national survey from MedStar Health finds that 30% of men age 55 and older have never had a prostate exam, and nearly four in ten have skipped the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test, despite prostate cancer being one of the most common cancers in men.

PSA screening is recommended at least every two to four years for average-risk men ages 55 through 69. About one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime.

Doctors say vague early symptoms lead men to delay testing

"Prostate cancer is common, and it may not cause clear symptoms early on," said Jonathan J. Hwang, MD, chair of Urology at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. "These findings show that many men may be putting off screening or may not know what warning signs to watch for."

Washington – September 07, 2026 -- A new analysis published in Blood Advances finds that treatment advances for leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma and other blood cancers have saved an estimated 25.8 million life-years in the United States since 1949. The study, led by Blood Cancer United, introduces a first-of-its-kind "life-years saved" methodology built on data from the National Cancer Institute's SEER Program, tracking cancer incidence, mortality and U.S. life expectancy from the era of the first chemotherapies through 2024.

Blood cancers now account for nearly 10% of all U.S. cancer diagnoses, with more than 192,000 new cases expected this year. Unlike many solid tumors, where screening and prevention drive survival gains, progress against blood cancers depends almost entirely on new therapies and access to them.

Little Rock – September 04, 2026 -- Kidney patients, family caregivers, and living organ donors can attend a four-day national meeting on kidney disease treatment and transplants at no cost starting September 10.

The American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) is hosting its 51st annual National Patient Meeting from September 10-13 in Little Rock, Arkansas. Admission and meals are free, with pre-registration available online or by calling (800) 749-2257.

The event opens with a policy forum at the Clinton Presidential Center

The gathering begins Thursday, September 10, with AAKP's Public Policy Forum at the William J. Clinton Presidential Center, running 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Central Time. Doors open at noon with complimentary lunch, and the session covers kidney research innovation alongside federal regulatory and reimbursement decisions affecting patients.