Transcription

• Nancy Johnson

  An mRNA breakthrough in flu protection and the discovery of a link between obesity and breast cancer. These stories and more coming up. This is Path News Network Daily Edition from the College of American Pathologists. I'm Nancy Johnson. It's Monday, November 24th. A modified mRNA flu shot. works better than the standard vaccine, according to a major new study in the New England Journal of Medicine. In a trial sponsored by Pfizer, researchers say it prevented more cases of flu and triggered stronger immune responses to the main strains that circulated in the 2022-2023 season. The CAP's Dr. Bobbi Pritt is an infectious disease expert from the Mayo Clinic.

• Dr. Bobbi Pritt

  I really think this study represents an exciting step forward for influenza prevention. The modified mRNA flu vaccine that they described not only showed superior protection against the circulating influenza strains, but it also showed the potential of the mRNA technology to improve the speed, the precision, and the impact of future seasonal vaccines.

• Nancy Johnson

  I asked Dr. Pritt how soon these mRNA vaccines might be available to the public.

• Dr. Bobbi Pritt

  We could generate them relatively quickly. Now it is going to take time to do all of the safety profiles and go through the various stages. So part of the regulation is going to stay the same, but our ability to produce these new vaccines will definitely be sped up with this technology.

• Nancy Johnson

  People who got the mRNA shot did report mild reactions like soreness and fever, but Pfizer says the results are a strong sign that mRNA flu vaccines are moving closer to reality. A new guideline published today in Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine standardizes how labs diagnose amyloidosis. This is a rare but serious disease caused by abnormal protein buildup. Guideline co-chair Dr. Dylan Miller says clearer testing standards will help pathologists make more consistent, accurate diagnoses. Co-chair Dr. Billie Fyfe Kirshner and believes rapid advances in our understanding of the disease makes staying current essential for guiding care. The CAP plans to revisit the recommendations every five years or sooner as science evolves. The link to the article goes live today at 2 p.m. Central. A new study in the American Journal of Pathology may help explain why obesity raises the risk of breast cancer. Researchers found that leptin, a hormone released by fat cells, activates an enzyme that helps estrogen-positive breast cancer cells grow and spread. A new metabolic target could guide future treatment for some breast cancers. I spoke with the CAP's Dr. Hannah Gilmore, who specializes in surgical and breast pathology at the Cleveland Clinic. She says the findings are promising, but they are preliminary and based on lab experiments in cell lines. Because these results are experimental, she says there are no plans right now to include this information in the CAP's cancer protocols. And finally, a tiny blood factory that simulates the real thing. Scientists at Switzerland's University of Basel have built a lab-made version of human bone marrow. It has all the key cell types needed to make blood and keep producing blood for weeks. This breakthrough could change how researchers study blood cancers and test new treatments, possibly even leading to more personalized care. That's all for today. Be sure to check the show notes for more information on today's stories. Watch your email inbox for more news like this in the CAP's advocacy newsletter every Tuesday and our weekly edition newsletter on Thursdays. We're back tomorrow at 5 a.m. Eastern for another episode of The Daily Edition. I'm Nancy Johnson. Have a great day.