Medical Bulletin 24/August/2026 - Video

Here are the top medical news for today:

Knee Osteoarthritis Isn’t Inevitable; Experts Reveal Ways to Protect Your Knees

Knee osteoarthritis may be easier to prevent and manage through everyday lifestyle changes than many people realize, according to orthopedic specialists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

The article explains how maintaining a healthy weight, staying physically active and strengthening leg muscles can reduce stress on the knees and may help lower the risk of osteoarthritis or slow its progression.

Knee osteoarthritis develops when the cartilage that cushions the bones inside the knee gradually wears down. As this protective tissue becomes thinner, the joint can become painful, stiff and increasingly difficult to move, affecting mobility and overall quality of life.

The condition is one of the most common causes of chronic knee pain, particularly among older adults, although nearly half of cases occur in people who are still of working age. Women, older individuals, people with previous knee injuries, those with weak leg muscles and people who are overweight or obese are among those at higher risk.

One of the most effective lifestyle strategies is maintaining a healthy body weight. According to experts, losing just 10 pounds of excess weight can reduce the force placed on the knees by approximately 40 pounds with every step, significantly reducing pressure on the joint.

Regular exercise may also help protect knee health rather than damage it. Strengthening the thigh muscles, especially the quadriceps, can improve joint support and reduce pain, while physical activity helps maintain mobility and overall function.

Diet may play an additional role in managing symptoms. Eating more whole grains, fruits and vegetables while limiting processed and sugary foods can support overall health and may help reduce inflammation associated with osteoarthritis.

For people already living with knee osteoarthritis, treatment options include exercise therapy, knee braces, anti-inflammatory medications, injections and, in severe cases, knee replacement surgery. Treatment plans should be tailored to each individual’s symptoms and needs.

Experts emphasize that family history does not determine a person’s future. Although genetics can increase susceptibility to osteoarthritis, healthy lifestyle habits and early preventive measures may help reduce the risk and preserve knee function over time.

REFERENCE: Siteman Cancer Center. "Knee osteoarthritis isn’t inevitable — here’s what you can do." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 20 August 2026; https://siteman.washu.edu/preventing-osteoarthritis/

New Study Uncovers How Prostate Cancer Rewires Metabolism to Resist Treatment

Prostate cancer cells may rewire amino acid metabolism to maintain cholesterol production and resist hormone therapy, according to a preclinical study by researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine.

The study, published in Nature Metabolism on August 20, found that propionyl-CoA, a compound produced during the breakdown of the amino acids isoleucine and valine, can activate a pathway that helps prostate tumors adapt to hormone-deprived conditions.

Researchers found that more aggressive human prostate tumors had elevated levels of propionylcarnitine, a metabolite closely related to propionyl-CoA. Further experiments showed that propionyl-CoA adds a chemical modification called propionylation to SREBP2, a protein that controls cholesterol production.

Normally, SREBP2 increases cholesterol production when cholesterol levels are low and switches the process down when levels are sufficient. However, propionylation stabilizes SREBP2 and keeps cholesterol-producing genes active, allowing prostate cancer cells to bypass this normal metabolic brake.

The additional cholesterol can then be used to produce androgens, including testosterone and related male hormones. These hormones activate the androgen receptor, a major driver of prostate cancer growth, potentially allowing tumors to maintain hormone signaling despite treatments such as enzalutamide.

Researchers also found that propionyl-CoA levels increased when prostate cancer cells were deprived of male hormones in laboratory models, suggesting the pathway may serve as a survival mechanism during hormone therapy.

In mouse models, restricting isoleucine and valine slowed prostate tumor growth and reduced the spread of cancer cells to the lungs. In contrast, increasing propionyl-CoA promoted tumor growth and lung colonization.

The findings raise the possibility that drugs targeting enzymes involved in converting isoleucine and valine into propionyl-CoA could potentially help overcome hormone therapy resistance. Researchers also want to investigate whether carefully controlled dietary strategies could influence the pathway.

However, the dietary findings are preclinical, and there is currently no evidence that people with prostate cancer should restrict isoleucine or valine on their own. Clinical studies will be needed to determine whether targeting this metabolic pathway is safe and effective in patients.

REFERENCE: Li, Z., et al. (2026). Isoleucine and valine promote prostate cancer progression via propionyl-CoA-mediated cholesterol metabolism. Nature Metabolism. DOI: 10.1038/s42255-026-01583-z.

Women With Multiple Long-Term Conditions Face Higher Pregnancy Risk: Study

Women who enter pregnancy with two or more long-term physical or mental health conditions face significantly higher risks of several pregnancy complications, according to a large UK study led by researchers including King’s College London.

The study, published in The Lancet Public Health, analyzed more than 2.2 million pregnancies and birth events recorded between 2000 and 2022 across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Compared with women without long-term health conditions, those with multiple conditions had a 20% higher risk of miscarriage and a 69% higher risk of severe nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. They also had nearly four times the risk of antenatal anxiety and depression.

The risks extended to serious physical complications. Women with multiple long-term conditions had more than double the risk of venous thromboembolism, a potentially dangerous blood clot that can occur as deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism. They also had a 42% higher risk of pre-eclampsia, a pregnancy complication involving high blood pressure.

Researchers found that risk generally increased as the number of long-term conditions increased. Among women with three or more conditions, the risk of venous thromboembolism was more than 3.5 times higher than among women without long-term conditions.

Multiple conditions were also associated with a 32% higher risk of placental abruption, in which the placenta separates from the womb before birth, and a 26% higher risk of gestational diabetes.

Around one in five pregnant women is estimated to live with multiple long-term conditions. Researchers say maternity services, however, are often organized around individual diseases rather than the combined physical and mental health needs of the patient.

The researchers argue that multiple long-term conditions should be recognized as a risk factor in their own right during pregnancy. They recommend identifying these women early in pregnancy and coordinating obstetric, primary care and mental health services around their individual needs.

However, the study was observational and relied on routinely collected health records, meaning some conditions or pregnancy outcomes may have been under-recorded. The findings show associations and do not prove that having multiple conditions directly causes these complications.

REFERENCE: Kent, L., et al. (2026). Antenatal outcomes for women with multiple long-term conditions in pregnancy: a UK-wide retrospective cohort study. The Lancet Public Health. DOI: 10.1016/s2468-2667(26)00148-9.