Roundup: Another Benefit of Shingles Vaccine – Lower Heart Disease Risk; and More News

Shingles Vaccine Linked to Lower Risk of Heart Disease, Study Finds

Individuals vaccinated against shingles may experience significantly lower rates of cardiovascular disease, according to a new study published in the European Heart Journal.

The research, which analyzed data from more than 1.2 million people in South Korea, reports a 23 percent reduction overall in the risk of cardiovascular events such as stroke, heart failure, and coronary heart disease among those who received the vaccine.

The shingles vaccine, administered to prevent a painful rash caused by the varicella zoster virus, may offer broader health benefits. According to the study, these benefits extend well beyond the primary aim of preventing shingles. Individuals who were vaccinated showed:

• 26 percent lower risk of major cardiovascular events, including stroke, heart attack, or death from heart disease
• 26 percent lower risk of heart failure
• 22 percent lower risk of coronary heart disease

The greatest protective effects were seen within two to three years after vaccination, but benefits were observed to persist for up to eight years.

The cardiovascular protective effect of the vaccine was most notable in certain demographic groups. Men, individuals under the age of 60, and those with unhealthy lifestyle habits—such as smoking, physical inactivity, or excessive alcohol consumption—experienced particularly pronounced benefits.

Lead researcher Professor Dong Keon Yon, of Kyung Hee University College of Medicine in Seoul, explained in a news release the motivation behind the study: “Shingles has been linked to higher cardiovascular risks, and we wanted to determine whether vaccination could mitigate this.” He noted that shingles, while commonly associated with skin rashes, can also trigger inflammation and damage to blood vessels—factors that may contribute to heart disease.

The study tracked 1,271,922 individuals aged 50 and older, beginning in 2012. Researchers gathered data on whether participants received a shingles vaccine, their cardiovascular health outcomes, and other influential factors such as age, sex, socioeconomic status, and lifestyle choices.

The vaccine studied was a live zoster vaccine, which contains a weakened form of the varicella zoster virus. This type of vaccine is being replaced in many countries by a non-live recombinant vaccine, which uses a viral protein rather than the live virus. The potential benefits of the newer recombinant vaccine are yet to be fully explored.

Professor Yon emphasized that while the study’s findings are robust—thanks to its large sample size and comprehensive adjustment for confounding factors—they do not prove a direct cause-and-effect relationship. “We used rigorous analysis, but as with any observational study, we must consider the possibility of residual confounding,” he stated.

This research adds to a growing body of evidence that vaccination may offer unexpected protective effects for cardiovascular health. Professor Yon suggested that even individuals without traditional heart disease risk factors might benefit from shingles vaccination.

The findings may influence public health discussions, particularly as new types of shingles vaccines become more widely available. However, Professor Yon cautioned that the results may not be universally applicable, as the study was based on an Asian cohort.

Future research will focus on the recombinant shingles vaccine to determine whether it provides similar cardiovascular protection. Given the increasing global burden of heart disease and the widespread use of vaccines in aging populations, this line of inquiry may have significant implications for preventive health strategies.

Immunotherapy Could Replace Surgery for Some Cancer Patients, Study Finds

A major clinical trial led by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) suggests that some cancer patients may be able to avoid surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy altogether — thanks to immunotherapy.

The findings, presented at the 2025 American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting and published in The New England Journal of Medicine, represent a potentially major advancement in the treatment of mismatch repair-deficient (MMRd) cancers. These cancers, which include certain colorectal, gastrointestinal, and gynecologic tumors, are characterized by a genetic mutation that makes them more responsive to immunotherapy.

According to the study, 80 percent of patients treated with the immunotherapy drug dostarlimab experienced a complete clinical response after six months of treatment—meaning their tumors were no longer detectable. Importantly, these patients did not require surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy, all of which can have long-term impacts on quality of life.

“This study shows that immunotherapy can replace surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy for mismatch repair-deficient solid tumors, which could help patients preserve their organs and avoid the harsh side effects of chemo and radiation,” said Andrea Cercek, M.D., a gastrointestinal oncologist and co-director of MSK’s Center for Young Onset Colorectal and Gastrointestinal Cancer, in a news release. “Preserving a patient’s quality of life while also successfully achieving positive results in eliminating their cancer is the best possible outcome.”

The trial builds on earlier research in which all rectal cancer patients treated with dostarlimab experienced tumor disappearance. That initial success led the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to grant dostarlimab “Breakthrough Therapy Designation” in December 2024.

The expanded phase 2 trial included 103 patients with stage 1-3 cancers — 49 with rectal cancer and 54 with non-rectal MMRd cancers such as gastroesophageal, hepatobiliary, colon, genitourinary, and gynecologic tumors. All were treated with dostarlimab, a PD-1 inhibitor that helps the immune system recognize and destroy cancer cells.

Luis Diaz Jr., M.D., co-leader of the study and Head of the Division of Solid Tumor Oncology at MSK, emphasized the broader implications, in a statement: “The majority of patients in the trial saw their tumors completely disappear. These results could change how we treat some cancers. Current treatments like surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy can seriously affect quality of life.”

Standard treatments for many solid tumors—particularly those affecting the digestive and reproductive systems—can cause complications such as infertility, incontinence, and chronic pain. For many patients, this new approach offers hope not only for survival but for a life that closely resembles their pre-cancer reality.

While further study is needed to confirm the long-term durability of the response, these results mark a potential shift in how certain cancers are treated—placing a greater emphasis on treatments that are not only effective but also preserve patients’ quality of life.

Explore advanced cancer-fighting treatments at Baptist Health. 

Widespread Plastic Chemical Exposure Linked to Heart Disease Deaths Worldwide

A new global analysis led by researchers at NYU Langone Health in New York has revealed a concerning link between daily exposure to certain plastic-related chemicals and more than 350,000 deaths from heart disease in 2018.

The study, published in The Lancet eBioMedicine, highlights how disproportionate exposure in specific regions. “The Middle East, South Asia, East Asia, and the Pacific bore a much larger share of the death toll than others—about three-fourths of the total,” states a news release on the study.

The chemicals in question are phthalates—a group of substances commonly used to make plastics more flexible and durable. These are found in a wide range of household and consumer products, including food containers, cosmetics, medical equipment, detergents, solvents, and even bug repellents. Over time, these chemicals degrade into microscopic particles that can be absorbed into the human body through ingestion or skin contact.

The focus of the study was on “di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate” (DEHP), a particularly prevalent type of phthalate. According to the research, DEHP exposure was associated with more than 356,000 deaths from cardiovascular disease globally in 2018 among people aged 55 to 64—representing over 13% of heart-related mortality in that age group.

“By highlighting the connection between phthalates and a leading cause of death across the world, our findings add to the vast body of evidence that these chemicals present a tremendous danger to human health,” said lead author Sara Hyman, an associate research scientist at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, in a statement.

Previous studies have already connected phthalate exposure to a variety of health issues, including obesity, diabetes, fertility problems, and cancer. The new analysis builds on this research by estimating the global toll of heart disease attributable to one specific phthalate, DEHP. The data were drawn from dozens of population surveys and environmental monitoring studies, covering urine samples and chemical traces in over 200 countries. Mortality data was sourced from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.

One of the most striking findings from the study is the geographical disparity in heart disease deaths linked to DEHP. India led all countries with an estimated 103,587 deaths, followed by China and Indonesia. In total, East Asia and the Middle East accounted for 42 percent of the DEHP-related cardiovascular deaths, while East Asia and the Pacific made up 32 percent. These figures remain significant even after researchers adjusted for differences in population size.

The authors point out that developing countries in these regions may experience higher levels of exposure due to fast-growing plastic production industries and relatively lax environmental and manufacturing regulations. These conditions may allow for more frequent and prolonged contact with phthalate-containing products.

The researchers caution that the analysis is not definitive proof that DEHP alone causes heart disease. It did not account for the effects of other phthalates or include people outside the 55–64 age range. As a result, the actual impact on global cardiovascular mortality may be even greater than estimated.