KRAS inhibitors, a class of drugs already used against some cancers, shrank NF1 nerve tumors in mice at least as well as approved MEK inhibitors, according to a Cincinnati Children's Hospital study published Sept. 2 in the journal Science Advances. Neurofibromatosis type 1 affects about one in 3,000 people, and roughly half develop plexiform neurofibromas, painful nerve tumors that can turn malignant. The research, led by cancer biologist Nancy Ratner, showed that when Schwann cells lose the NF1 gene, the KRAS protein drives tumor formation, making it a clear drug target. Because KRAS inhibitors are already far along in cancer development, the path to testing them in NF1 patients may be shorter.
People who received the newer recombinant shingles vaccine had a 9 percent lower burden of cardiovascular disease over seven years than those given the older live vaccine, according to a study of more than 70,000 older US adults published in Nature Medicine. Researchers at the University of Oxford found the vaccine was linked to a 10 percent lower burden of coronary heart disease and a 12 percent lower burden of heart failure. Men who received the newer vaccine also had a 12 percent lower burden of stroke, and atrial fibrillation was 7 percent lower overall. The benefits appeared in both sexes and were strongest soon after vaccination. Scientists think the vaccine's immune-boosting ingredient may calm inflammation, a driver of heart disease. The study is observational, so it cannot prove cause and effect, but it adds to earlier evidence linking the vaccine to lower dementia risk.
The US Food and Drug Administration has approved Moderna's mRNA-based influenza vaccine, the first of its kind for seasonal flu. The vaccine uses the same messenger RNA technology behind Moderna's COVID-19 shots. In trials, it produced a strong immune response against multiple flu strains, and officials say it can be updated quickly when new strains emerge. The approval gives the United States a second major mRNA vaccine and opens the door to combined flu and COVID shots in the future. Moderna says the vaccine will be available for the next flu season, pending manufacturing and distribution plans. Public health experts say mRNA flu vaccines could improve protection in years when circulating strains differ from those covered by traditional shots.
Two unvaccinated residents of Pennsylvania have died from measles, the first US deaths from the disease in 2026. Both lived in Lancaster County, which has recorded 185 cases this year as part of a statewide outbreak of 393 cases across 28 counties. Nationally, the CDC has counted 2,777 measles cases in 2026, the worst year since 1991. The deaths are Pennsylvania's first from measles in 35 years. Health officials link the resurgence to falling vaccination rates: kindergarten exemptions have more than doubled in five years, from 1.9% to 4%. Measles is highly contagious and fully preventable with the MMR vaccine.
Merck and Moderna say their personalized cancer vaccine has shown promise in preventing melanoma from returning after surgery. In a trial, patients who received the vaccine alongside an immunotherapy drug had a lower rate of recurrence than those on the drug alone. The vaccine is built from the patient's own tumor, teaching the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells. The companies say they will move to a larger trial and are testing the approach against other tumor types. If the results hold, the vaccine could become a new treatment option for one of the most dangerous forms of skin cancer. Experts urge caution until larger data arrives, but the direction is clear.
The US Food and Drug Administration has approved Rasonque, also known as daraxonrasib, a once-daily pill for advanced pancreatic cancer. In a late-stage trial of 500 patients, the drug improved median overall survival to 13.2 months, compared with 6.7 months for standard chemotherapy — roughly double. The drug, made by Revolution Medicines, targets a mutated protein called RAS that drives tumor growth in more than 90 percent of pancreatic cancer cases. It is the first biomarker-driven therapy to show an overall survival advantage in metastatic pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest forms of the disease and the third leading cause of cancer death in the United States. The approval covers patients whose tumors no longer respond to at least one earlier treatment. A one-month supply will cost about $39,800.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a new drug for pancreatic cancer that has been shown to improve survival in clinical trials. The approval is the first for a new pancreatic cancer treatment in nearly a decade. Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers, with a five-year survival rate of around 12 percent. In a late-stage trial, patients who received the new treatment lived longer than those on standard chemotherapy. Doctors called the approval a step forward for a disease that has seen few new options. The drug will be available to patients with advanced pancreatic cancer that has not responded to earlier treatment. The manufacturer said it will launch the drug at a price within reach of most insurance plans, and patient assistance programs will cover the rest.
Health officials in Pennsylvania have reported two recent deaths from measles, the first US deaths from the disease in 2026. Measles is highly contagious, and health experts say falling vaccination rates have raised the risk of outbreaks. The cases have renewed calls for parents to vaccinate their children on schedule.
Pennsylvania health officials reported two recent deaths from measles, the first deaths from the disease in the United States in 2026. The cases add to a growing outbreak that has raised alarms among public health experts. Measles is highly contagious and can cause severe complications, especially in young children and unvaccinated people. Health officials urged families to check vaccination records and get the MMR shot if needed. The deaths come as vaccination rates have slipped in parts of the country, leaving communities more exposed. Doctors said early treatment and vaccination are the best defenses. State officials are working to trace contacts and contain the outbreak before it spreads further.
Two unvaccinated people have died of measles in Pennsylvania, the state's first measles deaths in 35 years. Health officials said both deaths occurred in the same region and both patients developed severe complications. The deaths come as measles cases climb across the country amid falling vaccination rates in some communities. The MMR vaccine is about 97 percent effective after two doses, and public health experts called the deaths preventable. The state health department is setting up free vaccination clinics in the affected region and reviewing immunization records in schools.