9/11, mRNA, musical chairs—and an assassination attempt

This week’s oncology headlines run the gamut—from a discussion on the long-term consequences of 9/11 on lung cancer incidence, to the promise—and limits—of cutting edge mRNA science, to major institutional leadership changes, and even the intersection of cancer and war. In this episode of The Cancer Letter Podcast, Paul Goldberg, editor and publisher with The Cancer Letter, and Jacquelyn Cobb, managing editor, discuss the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks in relation to toxic exposure and cancer risk. The surprising finding is that the expected increase in lung cancer has not emerged in the way researchers might have anticipated. This may be due in part to a smoking cessation program for first responders spearheaded by the World Trade Center Health Program. The program’s medical director, Michael Crane, appeared on a recent episode of the Cancer History Project Podcast.Paul and Jacqeulyn also discuss the potentially game changing topline data that has been announced by Moderna/Merck personalized mRNA melanoma vaccine. The results, if the data holds up, will mark a milestone for the field: the first positive phase III result for an individualized neoantigen therapy and, according to the companies, the first-ever phase III success for an mRNA cancer therapy.“I think everybody who's really gung-ho and heart-eyes, lovestruck with the idea of precision medicine, I think that this is just really, really exciting,” Jacquelyn said. This podcast episode also covered some major leadership musical chairs happening at cancer centers—MD Anderson, Duke, and the University of Florida. Lastly, this episode takes a sharp turn into the war in Ukraine. A Russian general identified by Ukrainian authorities as being responsible for directing the missile attack on a Kyiv children’s hospital has been shot in Russia. As Paul says, “When your happiest story in the week is about the assassination of the gentleman in Saratov…That's the measure of the times we're in.”Stories mentioned in this podcast include:25 years after 9/11, a smoking cessation program may have curbed lung cancer risk for first responders at Ground ZeromRNA vaccine for melanoma is hailed as a turning point in medicineCancer leaders play “musical chairs” as executive jobs fill at top cancer centersRussian general tied to bombing Kyiv children’s hospital shot in apparent retribution hitThis podcast says Michael Crane is at Mount Sinai. His full title is professor in the Department of Environmental Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, medical director of the Selikoff Centers for Occupational Health, and medical director of the WTC Health Program at Mount Sinai.A transcript of this podcast is available: cancerletter.com/podcastc/20260916-911/