One of the biggest medical breakthroughs has been cancer vaccines. Vaccines have helped us control and prevent infections like measles and chickenpox by recognizing harmful germs. On the other hand, cancer vaccines are designed to teach the immune system to identify and attack cancer cells. While some vaccines like for prostate and bladder cancer exist, more research needs to be done.

An exciting new development in cancer treatment is an experimental vaccine called ELI-002 2P. Unlike many other cancer vaccines that are custom-made for each patient's tumor, this one is "off-the-shelf." This means it can be mass-produced ahead of time, similar to a flu shot. This makes it potentially cheaper and faster to get than personalized vaccines. It shows encouraging results in helping prevent the return of pancreatic and colorectal cancer after a patient has had surgery.

Did The Vaccine Reduce Risk Of Cancer?

In a recent study published in the Nature Medicine, researchers gave the ELI-002 2P vaccine to 25 patients who had surgery for pancreatic or colorectal cancer. The results were promising patients who had a strong immune reaction to the vaccine went longer without their cancer returning and lived longer overall. They also found,

The median time for these patients to live without their cancer coming back was not even reached, while those with a weak response had a median of only about 3 months.

The overall survival for patients with a strong response was also much longer. The median survival was not reached for this group, but it was about 16 months for those with a weak response.

How Does the Cancer Vaccine Work

The ELI-002 2P vaccine works by teaching the body's immune system to recognize and attack specific cancer cells. Many pancreatic and colorectal cancers have a common genetic flaw in a gene called Kras.

This flaw causes the cancer cells to produce a slightly different version of a normal protein, which helps them grow out of control.

The study also showed that the vaccine not only taught the T-cells to attack the KRAS mutation but also triggered a process called "antigen spreading." This means the T-cells learned to recognize and fight other parts of the cancer cells, not just the one the vaccine targeted. This could lead to a broader and more powerful immune attack against the cancer.

While these early findings are very encouraging, it’s important to remember that this was a small, initial study. It was mainly designed to check if the vaccine was safe.

Experts say the next step is to conduct larger, more thorough trials to confirm the vaccine’s effectiveness. If successful, this off-the-shelf vaccine could become a valuable new tool, possibly combined with other treatments, to help fight cancers with the Kras gene flaw, including lung cancers.

Are There Side Effects of Cancer Vaccines?

While side-effects of this vaccine are yet to be mentioned, the American Cancer Society explained that cancer vaccines can have a rage of side-effects, which can vary from person to person depending on the type of vaccine. Many side effects are similar to what you might experience with other vaccines. These can include:

• Fever and chills
• Feeling tired (fatigue)
• Back and joint pain
• Nausea
• Headaches and dizziness

Some people may also have an infusion reaction, which can start suddenly, often within minutes or hours of receiving the treatment. These reactions might cause hives, severe itching, or more serious symptoms like trouble breathing, dizziness, or swelling of the lips and tongue. Your medical team will monitor you closely during treatment to manage any side effects right away. It is important to tell them about any new or unusual symptoms you experience.

Do Cancer Vaccines Work For Everyone?

Developing effective cancer vaccines is a complex challenge, which is why they don't work for every patient. Here are some of the main reasons:

Cancer cells are good at hiding

Cancer starts from your own healthy cells, so your immune system may not see them as a threat.

Cancer can weaken the immune system

Cancer cells actively suppress the immune system, making it harder for the body to fight back. Researchers often add special substances called adjuvants to vaccines to try to overcome this.

Larger tumors are harder to treat

Vaccines are most effective against very small amounts of cancer. This is why doctors often use vaccines alongside other treatments like surgery or chemotherapy.

A person's health affects the outcome

Older or sicker patients may have a weaker immune system, which can limit how well they respond to a vaccine. Some cancer treatments can also weaken the immune system, making the vaccine less effective.

Actress Olivia Munn shared an intimate video from May 2023, just before she had a double mastectomy for breast cancer. The video, posted on Instagram for World Breast Cancer Research Day, shows Munn in her hospital bed with her husband, John Mulaney. He is sitting beside her, holding her hands. They press their foreheads together and speak in hushed tones, surrounded by the quiet sounds of the hospital.

Munn wrote in her caption that this was her first of five surgeries in her "determined battle to beat breast cancer."

One of the biggest aspects of her treatment was the “lifetime risk assessment test” she mentioned in her caption. “Please go to the link in bio to take the quick and free lifetime risk assessment test that saved my life.”

What Is Lifetime Risk Assessment Test?

According to the MagView Tyrer-Cuzick Risk Assessment Calculator* in Munn’s bio, this test helps one calculate their lifetime risk of developing breast cancer. The tool urges people to reach out to their healthcare professional in case they have any questions about their risk of developing breast cancer and what are the best options for breast cancer screenings or genetic counseling they may have.

The US National Cancer Institute also has an Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool (BCRAT) known as Gail Model, which helps healthcare professionals estimate a woman’s risk of developing invasive breast cancer over the next five year. The tool uses a person’s medical history as well as breast cancer history among the first-degree relatives to estimate theur risk of getting breast cancer

Olivia Munn’s Breast Cancer Journey

In her post caption, Munn details how she has gone through a double mastectomy, reconstruction surgery, a lymph node dissection, and a hysterectomy. She recently shared that her mother also received a breast cancer diagnosis two years after her own.

Munn explained that both her and her mother's cancer are "very aggressive, fast-moving." However, she added that thanks to research funding, they both had a path to survival. For example, she said that endocrine therapy, a hormone treatment she is currently on, was discovered just 20 years ago. This treatment works by keeping hormones from reaching cancer cells.

Olivia Munn’s Message for Early Detection of Breast Cancer

Munn emphasized that funding for breast cancer research has created treatment plans that give her and many others hope. She urged her followers to donate, saying that their contributions could save countless lives by helping to find cures and improve treatments. She also recommended supporting organizations like Susan G. Komen and the American Cancer Society, which have made a real impact.

In her post, Munn also encouraged women to take the breast cancer assessment test. She discovered she had a 37% chance of breast cancer, which led to more tests that found her aggressive form of the disease. She stressed that any woman over 30 should take the test, and if their risk is above 20%, they should ask their doctor for a breast MRI.

Who Should Get Breast Cancer Screening Done?

According to the American Cancer Society, you are considered to be at average risk if you do not have a personal history of breast cancer, a strong family history of it, or a known genetic mutation (like in the BRCA gene) that increases your risk. This also applies if you have not had chest radiation before the age of 30. These are the breast cancer screening recommendations for women who are average risk.

Ages 40-44: You have the choice to start getting a mammogram every year.

Ages 45-54: You should get a mammogram every year.

Ages 55 and older: You can switch to getting a mammogram every other year, or you can choose to continue getting one every year. You should continue to get screened as long as you are in good health and are expected to live at least 10 more years.

Keep in mind that these guidelines are for mammograms only. Clinical breast exams, which are physical exams done by a doctor or other healthcare professional, are not recommended for breast cancer screening in women at average risk.

*Please Note: The Magview Tyrer-Cuzick Risk Assessment Calculator is for non-commercial and non-clinical use, for a clinical diagnosis, please reach out to your healthcare professional.

The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH) has launched a big initiative to improve healthcare for future generations. Teaming up with the Emirati Genome Council, they've started one of the world's most comprehensive Newborn Genetic Screening Programmes.

Genetic health problems can be difficult to predict and can be passed onto the child, even if the parents did not have symptoms themselves. Many times, these disorders or diseases do not surface until later in life. Here is where genetic screenings and tests come into play. These help us predict any future issues and tackle them head-on.

Instead of treating every patient the same way, this program is designed to deliver a more personal and precise kind of healthcare. It uses advanced genetic technology to look at a person's unique DNA. This allows doctors to catch health conditions much earlier than before, sometimes even before a baby is born.

By finding these issues so early, doctors can provide special, tailored treatments. This means the care a child receives is not a generic plan, but one created specifically for their needs. This approach leads to better results because it gets to the root of the problem right away.

What Is Genetic Screening?

According to National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) It is a process that look at a large group of people to find a smaller group who might be at higher risk for a specific genetic disease. This higher-risk group might either have the disease themselves, be at risk of developing it later, or have a chance of passing it on to their children.

Can We Predict Health Problems?

This program screens for over 815 treatable childhood genetic conditions by looking at a baby's entire genetic makeup, called whole genome sequencing. This makes it one of the most thorough programs of its kind. It's already started at Kanad Hospital and Danat Al Emarat Hospital, where they use advanced technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to find conditions that might not be obvious at birth but could become a serious problem later.

The plan is to eventually screen all children of UAE nationals and Emirati mothers born in Abu Dhabi. This is done by collecting a small cord blood sample at birth with the parents' permission. The screening looks for many different issues, including problems with a baby's metabolism, immune system, blood, and rare diseases like Spinal Muscular Atrophy, which can now be treated.

Can Genetic Screening Lead Us Towards Healthy Future?

Parents will get the results within 21 days. If the screening finds anything concerning, a counselor will meet with the family to explain the findings and connect them with specialists for further care.

To make sure the program is a success, the DoH has worked closely with experts. They've held workshops to prepare everyone involved. They also trained 16 pediatricians and neonatologists from Corniche Hospital, Danat Al Emarat, and Kanad Hospital on genetic counseling and why this screening is so important. They also made sure that obstetricians, midwives, nurses, and technical staff at these hospitals were fully prepared.

This program is a key part of Abu Dhabi's bigger goal to use genomics for family health. This includes existing programs like premarital screening. These efforts are all about preventing genetic diseases, helping families make informed decisions, and giving children early access to the care they need. The ultimate aim is to create a healthcare system where personalized, preventative care is the norm, ensuring a healthier future for everyone.

Two years after the United States approved its first over-the-counter (OTC) birth control pill, new research shows that the medication is being widely used by people who previously struggled to access contraception.

The findings, published Monday in JAMA Network Open, offer one of the earliest looks at how the pill, known as Opill has reshaped reproductive health choices.

Who All Are Turning to OTC Contraception

The study included 986 people between the ages of 15 and 45, living across 44 states. All participants had obtained Opill either online or at a local pharmacy.

Researchers found a significant shift in contraceptive use among these individuals. Many had previously relied on less effective birth control methods, such as condoms or emergency contraception, while others had used no birth control at all.

The data showed a 31.8% point increase in contraceptive use among those who had previously used no birth control and a 41% point increase among those who switched from less effective options.

“This is one of the first studies to show that over-the-counter birth control pills are reaching the very people they’re meant to help, those who face the greatest barriers to care,” said lead author Dr. Maria Rodriguez, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland.

Who Benefits Most? Younger, Rural, and Uninsured Populations

The research found that people opting for OTC birth control were more likely to be uninsured, live in rural areas, and be in the younger age in the bracket of 15 to 20 years old.

The top reason participants gave for choosing Opill was convenience: it did not require a doctor’s appointment. For many, that was critical, as some did not have a regular physician at all.

“At a time when pregnancy is becoming even more dangerous in the United States, especially for people of color, those with low incomes and those living in rural communities, our findings underscore that OTC contraception is a powerful tool for reproductive autonomy,” Rodriguez said in a news release.

ALSO READ: US To Destroy 9.7 Million In Birth Control, The Plan Could Trigger Spike in Unsafe Abortions, Say Experts

Why the FDA Approved Opill

Opill, manufactured by Perrigo, is a progestin-only pill that became the first daily contraceptive in the U.S. available without a prescription when the Food and Drug Administration approved it in 2023.

At the time, the FDA emphasized the move’s potential to expand access, noting that nearly half of the 6.1 million pregnancies in the U.S. each year are unintended. Public health experts argued that making birth control available without prescription could help reduce those numbers and provide more autonomy to individuals who face systemic barriers in health care.

Outside Experts See Major Public Health Implications

The study’s findings drew attention from other health experts, who agreed that the shift could have far-reaching consequences.

“While greater access to contraception without prescriptions can be life-changing for women with limited resources, it also highlights how deeply the repercussions of unplanned pregnancies still ripple through health care systems and communities,” said Dr. Jessica Shepherd, a board-certified OB/GYN and chief medical officer of the online health company Hers, in an interview with CBS News.

Unplanned pregnancies, she noted, are often associated with higher maternal and infant health risks, financial strain, and long-term socioeconomic challenges. Those burdens, Shepherd added, fall most heavily on women already navigating barriers to care.

READ MORE: How Abortion Policies Have Changed Across States Since Dobbs Ruling?

A Step Toward Greater Reproductive Autonomy

For now, experts say the early data is promising and demonstrates that Opill is fulfilling its intended role: reaching those who need reliable contraception the most.

As debates over reproductive rights continue across the U.S., researchers say the success of Opill could also pave the way for additional contraceptive methods to be made available without a prescription, expanding access even further.