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Oct. 19, 2025, 8:45 AM EDTBy Kaitlin SullivanCovid vaccines may come with a tantalizing benefit that has nothing to do with the virus they’re designed to protect against: boosting the immune system to better fight tumors during cancer treatment.That’s according to new results presented Sunday in Berlin at the European Society for Medical Oncology conference. The research is still in the earlier stages — it has yet to be tested in a Phase 3 clinical trial — but experts say it shows promise.“I am cautiously optimistic,” said Stephanie Dougan, an associate professor of cancer immunology and virology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, who was not involved with the work. “There is a scientific logic to why this could work.”Researchers found that among cancer patients getting immunotherapy, those who got an mRNA Covid vaccine within 100 days before starting their treatment lived longer.Only about 20% of cancer patients who get immunotherapy — which harnesses a person’s immune system to fight cancer cells — respond to the treatment. Finding a way to boost the effectiveness of immunotherapy drugs has been a feat researchers have been exploring for years, with little success.Typically, the immune-stimulating tactics employed in the past have either done too little to activate the immune system or done too much, triggering an overactive response that can damage the body. There’s a chance that mRNA Covid vaccines could exist in a Goldilocks zone.“Maybe we just needed something that was medium-strong, and this could potentially be it,” said Dougan, who emphasized the need for more research.That research will soon be underway: Dr. Adam Grippin, a senior resident in radiation oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center who co-led the study, said his team is launching a Phase 3 clinical trial to confirm the initial results.In the research presented Sunday, Grippin and his co-authors looked back at survival rates among more than 1,000 people who had advanced non-small cell lung cancer and got immunotherapy as part of their treatment from 2019 through 2023. Of those, 180 people received an mRNA Covid vaccine within 100 days of starting treatment.The median survival for the group — when exactly half of those who underwent treatment are still alive — was nearly twice as long for those who were vaccinated compared to those who were not: about three years compared to just over 1.5 years.The researchers also compared the survival rates in a smaller group of patients getting immunotherapy for metastatic melanoma. Forty-three got an mRNA Covid vaccine; 167 did not. For those who didn’t get vaccinated, median survival was just over two years. Those who were vaccinated prior to treatment hadn’t yet reached their median survival point more than three years into follow-up.In further experiments in mice, the researchers got an answer they believe matches the way the vaccines work in humans.“It superdrives the immune system against tumors,” Grippin said.Creating a beaconVaccines that use mRNA are already a promising area of cancer research. Scientists have developed personalized mRNA cancer vaccines that are tailored to fight a person’s unique tumor, as well as ones that target genes that are commonly found in certain types of cancer, including pancreatic. (These developments come as the Trump administration has canceled half a billion dollars in funding for mRNA vaccine research for infectious diseases.)If Grippin’s later trial confirms the results of the early research, it could represent the next frontier for research on mRNA vaccines and cancer.Immunotherapy drugs work by boosting the immune system’s ability to fight cancer, often by enhancing the power of immune cells called T cells that attack invaders, or by making tumors easier for T cells to find.The mouse portion of the new research found that Covid mRNA vaccination appeared to make the immune system more attuned to recognizing tumors as a threat by stimulating dendritic cells, a type of white blood cell. When dendritic cells detect a threat, they turn on a sort of beacon that leads T cells to the perceived invader so they can attack. However, not everyone naturally has T cells that are capable of fighting tumors, which is why scientists believe immunotherapies only work in some of the cancer patients who take them. In these people, the immune system recognizes cancer cells as a threat, but their specific T cells are unable to stop the tumors from growing.“It’s just random chance whether you have those cells or you don’t,” said Jeff Coller, a professor of RNA biology and therapeutics at Johns Hopkins Medicine, who was not involved with the research.Getting an mRNA Covid vaccine doesn’t change whether a person has the specific T cells needed to fight their tumors, but it does appear to make it more likely that dendritic cells will detect a tumor as a problem and direct the T cells a person does have to the tumor. If those cells happen to be programmed to be able to kill tumor cells, having an mRNA vaccine that lights up the target before a person starts an immunotherapy can give their immune system a boost that helps the cancer therapy work better.Coller said one reason mRNA technology may be the best tool to elicit this response is because every cell in the body already contains mRNA.“We are really tapping into that natural process that your body already knows how to respond to,” he said. “You are using your body’s natural system to fight tumors.”Dougan said it’s possible that other factors could have accounted for better survival among people who were vaccinated prior to immunotherapy treatment. For example, a Covid infection may have weakened an unvaccinated person’s body and hindered their ability to fight off cancer cells. In the past, early studies like this one have shown promising results that didn’t pan out in later trials. “We have been misled by retrospective studies before,” she said.Grippin agreed the findings warrant a closer look. “This data is exciting, but all of these findings need to be validated in Phase 3 clinical trials to determine whether these vaccines should be used in our patients,” he said.Kaitlin SullivanKaitlin Sullivan is a contributor for NBCNews.com who has worked with NBC News Investigations. She reports on health, science and the environment and is a graduate of the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at City University of New York.

- Latest News - October 19, 2025

Covid vaccines may come with a tantalizing benefit that has nothing to do with the virus they’re designed to protect against: boosting the immune system to better fight tumors during.

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Oct. 19, 2025, 5:00 AM EDTBy Peter Guo and Jennifer JettHONG KONG — For years, pro-Beijing lawmakers in Hong Kong have been steadfastly in support of the government. That is, until the issue of same-sex partnerships came up.Last month, Hong Kong’s opposition-free Legislative Council overwhelmingly voted down a government-sponsored bill that would have partially recognized same-sex unions in the Chinese territory.The rejection, which LGBTQ rights advocates said was “disappointing,” has rekindled discussions about gay rights and the rule of law in Hong Kong as its leaders grow more in sync with the central Chinese government.The bill, which would have granted limited rights to same-sex couples, was a response to a 2023 order by Hong Kong’s top court that gave the government until Oct. 27, 2025, to establish an alternative framework for legal recognition of same-sex partnerships, such as registered civil partnerships or civil unions.Marriage equality remains a work in progress in Asia, with only three jurisdictions — Taiwan, Nepal and Thailand — having fully legalized same-sex marriage. A 2023 survey of Hong Kong residents by the Chinese University of Hong Kong found that same-sex marriage was supported by about 60% of respondents.Though the Hong Kong legislation fell far short of fully recognizing same-sex marriage, equality campaigners said it still would have been a step forward for the international financial hub, whose global image has suffered greatly after mass anti-government protests, severe pandemic restrictions and a crackdown on dissent.Hong Kong lawmaker Maggie Chan giving a speech last month in front of a sign that reads “Resolutely Oppose Registration of Same-Sex Partnerships Bill.”Chan Long Hei / APHowever, 71 out of 86 lawmakers opposed the bill, with some blasting it as an attack on marriage and traditional Chinese values.The veto marked the legislature’s first big split with the government since Beijing’s “patriots-only” electoral reform in 2021, which aimed to ensure “consistent” and “strong” legislative support for the executive after the 2019 protests. The changes have essentially shut out the pro-democracy lawmakers who traditionally challenged the government.The Hong Kong government said it was “disappointed” by the veto but that it would respect the legislature’s decision and turn to administrative means to protect the rights of gay couples. The details of its next steps are not immediately clear.‘No enthusiasm’Hong Kong, a city of 7.5 million people, had been making some progress on LGBTQ rights through a string of court victories.In 2023, Hong Kong’s top court ruled that transgender people could change their gender on their official identity cards without undergoing full sex reassignment surgery. In July, a Hong Kong court ruled that transgender people have the right to use public toilets in line with their affirmed genders.And last month, a Hong Kong judge ruled in favor of a lesbian couple who wanted to include both mothers’ names on their son’s birth certificate.But there have also been setbacks as the space for activism in Hong Kong has diminished. Pink Dot, the city’s largest LGBTQ event, said last month that it was holding its 2025 edition online after losing its usual venue with no explanation.The case that prompted the same-sex marriage legislation was brought in 2018 by Jimmy Sham, a leading local gay rights activist who took the government to the Court of Final Appeal to have his overseas same-sex marriage recognized.Gay rights activist Jimmy Sham in front of the Court of Final Appeal in Hong Kong in August.Chan Long Hei / APThe 2023 court ruling in his favor came while Sham, 38, one of 47 pro-democracy figures arrested in 2021 under a Beijing-imposed national security law, was on trial on subversion charges. Sham, who like most of the defendants pleaded guilty, was released from prison in May after serving more than four years.To comply with the landmark ruling, the Hong Kong government proposed a mechanism in July by which gay couples could visit their partners in the hospital, access their medical records and make decisions about organ donation and funeral arrangements. It did not address parental or adoption rights.The protections also would have applied only to same-sex couples who had registered their partnerships outside Hong Kong, a provision that advocacy groups criticized as discriminatory.Yet the proposal met with strong objections from lawmakers, who cited a “lack of social consensus” in Hong Kong on the “highly controversial” subject of same-sex partnership.They argued that the bill, even though it did not legalize gay marriage, would still lead to a “collapse of traditional family ethics and values” if passed.LGBTQ couples at a mass wedding in Hong Kong in 2024, which a U.S. pastor performed online.Peter Parks / AFP via Getty Images file“Why stir up trouble and break tradition for a small group, throwing the whole society into turmoil?” said lawmaker Junius Ho, a vocal opponent of LGBTQ rights.Sham said that although the veto was a “great pity,” he hoped authorities would relaunch the legislative process. “The question is whether those in power have the courage and wisdom to resolve differences and seek consensus,” he wrote in a Facebook post.Hong Kong officials said the government had made its “best effort” to secure support from the legislature, basing the proposal on what they deemed “societal common ground.”However, John Burns, an emeritus professor at the University of Hong Kong who specializes in the city’s politics and governance, said he saw “no enthusiasm” from the government to create an alternative framework for recognizing same-sex partnerships.After being forced into action by the court, Burns said, the Hong Kong government “waited until virtually the last possible moment” before proposing a “minimalist bill.”“They had many opportunities to fix this, and they sat on their hands and looked at the sky,” he added.What’s nextThe Chinese central government and pro-Beijing lawmakers, who have denied any erosion of freedoms in Hong Kong, said the veto would not create a constitutional crisis but rather showcased the checks and balances of Hong Kong’s governance.But legal experts said the government still has to find a way to comply with the court order.“The legislature rushed through this decision,” said Azan Marwah, a Hong Kong barrister specializing in public law and family litigation.He said lawmakers should have proposed and debated amendments to the bill if they had concerns.“But instead of doing that, they simply abdicated their responsibility,” Marwah said. “Now, what will the court do? To be really frank with you, I don’t know.”The Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau, which proposed the failed legislation, did not respond to a request for comment.The lack of legal protections for same-sex couples may lead to a “big loss” of local or foreign talent in Hong Kong, as many multinational companies value diversity and equality, said Marie Pang, deputy secretary-general of the centrist political party Third Side.“It would directly undermine Hong Kong’s competitiveness as an international city, especially when other regions in Asia already have relevant systems in place,” Pang said.Amid the uncertainty, many people in Hong Kong’s LGBTQ community are continuing to look forward.The campaign for equality and inclusion is more than legal victories, said Louis Ng, a law student and gay rights advocate.“Real change requires open communication and engagement with all sides. Only then may we persuade the strong opponents,” Ng said. “It all takes time and effort.”Peter GuoPeter Guo is an associate producer based in Hong Kong.Jennifer JettJennifer Jett is the Asia Digital Editor for NBC News, based in Hong Kong.

- Latest News - October 19, 2025

HONG KONG — For years, pro-Beijing lawmakers in Hong Kong have been steadfastly in support of the government.

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Oct. 19, 2025, 6:05 AM EDTBy Andrew GreifThe Philadelphia Eagles earned the NFL’s ultimate prize last season, winning the franchise’s second Super Bowl. Yet they weren’t alone among the league’s big winners. Other than the Eagles, no team may have left last season happier than a division rival, Washington. It was an unexpected result. For most of this century, the franchise had produced more investigations at the congressional, federal and state levels than on-field joy. Under owner Daniel Snyder, the team won fewer than half of its games. The team had been rebranded (2020 and 2022) more recently than it had won a playoff game (2005). Attendance fell to the worst in the league in 2022, the final season before Snyder announced he would sell the team. Yet last season, under new ownership, a new coach and rookie-of-the-year quarterback Jayden Daniels, Washington won 12 games and advanced to a conference title game, the first time in 33 seasons either had occurred. With one of the league’s best quarterbacks on a cost-controlled rookie contract, Washington had enormous flexibility to spend to build around Daniels and be “elite over the long term,” owner Josh Harris said after last season. Bookmakers gave only six teams better odds to make the Super Bowl than Washington.”We have a massive opportunity,” Harris said.That opportunity to go from one of the league’s biggest surprises to sustained success has been tested ever since. At 3-3, the Commanders have struggled to build on last season’s breakout success.Last season, their surge began in October after Daniels completed a Hail Mary touchdown to beat the Chicago Bears. It remains to be seen how much one play from their rematch against Chicago last week could dictate the rest of this season.Holding the ball while leading 24-22 with three minutes left in regulation Daniels, playing in wet weather, couldn’t grip a snap and fumbled a handoff attempt that Chicago recovered. The Bears used the turnover to eventually kick a game-winning field goal.”Completely my fault,” Daniels said after the game.The team’s overall struggles aren’t; several of Daniels’ metrics are up in his second season, and Sunday he has a chance to become the first Washington player ever to throw 10 or more passing touchdowns with one or no interceptions through five games (he has thrown seven touchdowns and one pick). But Daniels has been hurt, missing two games, and injuries have also sidelined some of his top targets, including Terry McLaurin and Noah Brown. Still, the Commanders rank in the top 10 in yards per play, and they often their drives turn into scores. Washington’s defense also has been a mixed bag. It has forced just three turnovers, third fewest in the league, and opponents’ possessions end in turnovers about half as often as last season. They have been on the field for 389 defensive snaps, ninth most, yet rank among the league’s better half in points allowed.Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn in Landover on Oct. 13.Scott Taetsch / Getty ImagesWashington has also shown a penchant for falling behind by double digits, doing it in four of their six games, with coach Dan Quinn saying after the loss to the Bears that “we’ve become way too accustomed to digging ourselves out of holes. “All three phases dug the hole, and all three phases helped get out, but we didn’t create enough takeaways. To finish minus-three [against the Bears], you really don’t deserve to win many games in that space.”The next month will be a litmus test for the team’s postseason viability. Sunday, Washington faces the Dallas Cowboys, whose 2-3-1 record doesn’t quite reveal the challenge they could pose. Then there is a Week 8 matchup against a Kansas City Chiefs team that suddenly looks dangerous again and consecutive matchups in Weeks 9 and 10 against two of the NFC’s toughest teams in the Detroit Lions and the Seattle Seahawks. The season closes with four consecutive division games against the New York Giants, Dallas and Philadelphia (twice). One analysis ranks Washington’s remaining schedule as the 15th most difficult in the 32-team league. But as last week’s fumbled handoff showed, nothing in the NFL comes easy.What we’re watching for in Week 7Rams (4-2) at Jaguars (4-2): Something’s got to give during an early start in London. Jacksonville’s 10 interceptions lead the NFL, while Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford has thrown only two picks on 209 attempts but has five fumbles. Saints (1-5) at Bears (3-2): Chicago quarterback Caleb Williams would be expected to complete 71.5% of his passes this season, according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats — which measures factors such as receiver location and a quarterback’s distance from the nearest tackler. Yet Williams has completed only 61.6%, and that 9.9-point gap is the largest completion percentage under expectations in the league. Dolphins (1-5) at Browns (1-5): No defense has allowed opponents to score more than Miami’s, which is allowing points on a league-worst 60% of possessions. Patriots (4-2) at Titans (1-5): In their first game since they fired their coach, the Titans need to try to protect No. 1 pick Cam Ward better. He has been sacked a league-high 25 times, six more than anyone else.Raiders (2-4) at Chiefs (3-3): Kansas City has yet to commit a fumble this season, and it has a league-low two total turnovers in six games. The Raiders have fumbled just once. On the other hand, they’ve thrown a league-high 10 picks. Eagles (4-2) at Vikings (3-2): Saquon Barkley ran behind the NFL’s best offensive line last season, averaging 3.8 yards per carry before being hit. This year, that average has been halved, an indication of injuries to the line and predictability that defenses have figured out. Panthers (3-3) at Jets (0-6): Though Ward has been sacked the most overall (25 times), New York’s Justin Fields has been sacked on a higher percentage of his drop backs, a whopping 13%. The last team to start 0-7 was the 2021 Lions.Giants (2-4) at Broncos (4-2): New York’s Jaxson Dart can become the first rookie quarterback since 1950 to beat three .500 or better teams in his first four starts. Denver’s Nik Bonitto leads the NFL with eight sacks, while the Giants’ Brian Burns ranks third with 7½. Colts (5-1) at Chargers (4-2): The NFL’s top rusher, Jonathan Taylor (603 yards), faces a Chargers defense that struggles to contain the run, allowing 5.0 yards per carry, fifth worst in the league.Commanders (3-3) at Cowboys (2-3-1): Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb could return after having missed three games with an ankle sprain. Dallas is 6-0 against Washington at home when quarterback Dak Prescott starts.Packers (3-1) at Cardinals (2-4): Arizona has lost four straight games by four points or less. Meanwhile the Packers are looking for their first 5-1 start since 2021. Falcons (3-2) at 49ers (4-2): Even without starting quarterback Brock Purdy for much of the season, San Francisco averages a league-high 291.5 passing yards. Atlanta’s Michael Penix Jr. averaged 201 yards and threw for one touchdown combined in his first three games this season, but in two games since then, he has thrown three touchdowns, while averaging 281 yards.Buccaneers (5-1) at Lions (4-2) on Monday: Tampa Bay’s Baker Mayfield is building an MVP campaign with 12 passing touchdowns and just one interception. Texans (2-3) at Seahawks (4-2) on Monday: Love defense? This game’s for you. Houston leads the NFL in points allowed (just 12.2 per game), while Seattle ranks sixth (19.5). Houston has allowed only three passing touchdowns in five games. Andrew GreifAndrew Greif is a sports reporter for NBC News Digital. 

- Latest News - October 19, 2025

The Washington Commanders left the last NFL season as a big winner but at 3-3 in 2025, has struggled to build onto that breakout success.

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