Clean living extends our lifespan

Housework is, unfortunately, good for your health, reports the University of Glasgow. Breaking up periods of prolonged sedentary behaviour with light physical activity every day (such as slow walking, or the dreaded household chores) could reduce the risk of cancer death by 12 per cent.

The findings, from a new study led by the University of Glasgow and published in PLOS Medicine, shed more light on the negative health impact of having prolonged periods of sedentary behaviour every day.

Shot of young happy woman listening and dancing to music while cleaning the living room floor with a vaccum cleanerGetty Images

Overall, the study found that sitting or reclining for more than 30 minutes at a time every day was associated with a higher risk of cancer death, with the risk increasing for each extra hour of continuous inactivity.

However, the researchers also found that getting up from one’s seat regularly and taking time to be physically active could help to reduce a range of cancer risks.

gla.ac.uk

Pathway to fitness

If the household chores just aren’t cutting it when it comes to your fitness routine, and you want to motivate yourself to go to the gym more, try staring out of the window…

And if there’s room in the garden (and the budget) what about a garden gym, like this one (above) from Green Retreats, a family-run UK garden room specialist, established in 2005.

greenretreats.co.uk

Ray of light on bladder cancer

A new implantable device which aims to maximise the effectiveness of light-sensitive drugs could improve outcomes for bladder cancer patients.

Engineers and cancer scientists from the University of Glasgow are behind the development of the device, which uses wirelessly-powered micro-LEDs to boost the delivery of light through tissue-mimicking models in the lab.

Photodynamic therapy uses light-sensitive drugs called photosensitisers to selectively destroy cancer cells. It is commonly used in the treatment of skin cancer, but body tissue tends to absorb light, so it is more challenging for doctors to reach some tumours growing deeper in the body in organs like the bladder.

The new device is flexible and small enough to be implanted next to tumours, allowing light to reach treatment sites more directly while minimising the need for invasive procedures. It also draws power from a wireless source, cutting the need for external systems entirely.

gla.ac.uk

Prostate screening

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK, with around 55,000 new cases diagnosed each year. While mortality has fallen by 10 per cent over the last decade, the number of men diagnosed with prostate cancer continues to rise.

Private screening expert Preventicum offers specialised assessments for men over 45 or with a family history of prostate cancer, including a biparametric MRI scan of the prostate. This type of scan provides detailed, high-definition images, which are reviewed and reported on by a specialist consultant uroradiologist and enhanced with AI reporting technology.

Most men who have prostate checks are healthy and, using a combination of PSA testing, PSA density measurement and the bpMRI, Preventicum can provide clear, evidence-based reassurance. Since introducing its Optimal+ and Ultimate+ assessments in January 2025, around 85 per cent of Preventicum’s clients’ prostate assessments have indicated no significant risk, giving them peace of mind.

For a small percentage of men, the scans identify changes that may signal early-stage prostate cancer. This applied to 5 per cent of men who had the dedicated Preventicum assessments in 2025. Where follow-up information is available, 80 per cent of these cases were diagnosed at an early stage, allowing timely, targeted treatments.

Preventicum adds that most of these cancers were detected despite normal PSA levels.

preventicum.co.uk

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