Respiratory Tracker: HCPs hopeful about mRNA vaccines in lung cancer

Between 21 July and 31 August 2024, CREATION Pinpoint® tracked the conversations of UK online healthcare professionals (HCPs) discussing respiratory diseases on X (Twitter). We analysed 2,043 posts discussing respiratory diseases by 901 HCPs.

On August 1st, HCPs were highly active online, posting over 100 times about lung cancer, COVID-19 or flu: 

• Many HCPs participated in World Lung Cancer Day, using the hashtag #worldlungcancerday 23 times to raise awareness about the disease and emphasise the importance of early diagnosis and treatment. To support these efforts, a few HCPs also shared resources from organisations like Respiratory Futures and the European Respiratory Society to enhance patient care.

Today is World #LungCancer Day. Through #CancerResearch, prevention, and treatment, we've significantly reduced lung cancer mortality. But, it's still the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S.

Quitting smoking greatly reduces the risk. https://t.co/yriaifg01U #LCSM

— Dr. Kimryn Rathmell (@NCIDirector) August 1, 2024

• Another significant focus was on Professor Christina Pagel’s X Thread, which was shared by 37 HCPs, making it the most shared post of the day. In this thread, Professor Pagel explained that the UK is currently facing a significant COVID-19 wave, with its prevalence overshadowing other respiratory viruses during the summer months. 

THREAD: the summer Covid wave in the UK continues.
Basically, there is a LOT of Covid around and not a lot of other respiratory viruses.

If you have cold or flu symptoms, it's probably Covid.

The latest hospital data from England shows steady, quite high levels. 1/8 pic.twitter.com/eggAZB7RZf

— Prof. Christina Pagel (@chrischirp) August 1, 2024

• A few HCPs highlighted the “huge news” of a promising nasal COVID-19 vaccine development aimed at halting virus transmission.

THIS IS HUGE! A new nasal COVID-19 vaccine BLOCKS transmission of the virus, according to a recent study out of Washington University. This suggests vaccines delivered directly to the nose or mouth could play a critical role in containing the spread of respiratory infections.🧵⬇️

— Chise (@sailorrooscout) August 1, 2024

Throughout the month, HCPs actively discussed exciting advancements in lung cancer treatment, particularly focusing on the launch of multi-center mRNA vaccine trials targeting non-small cell lung cancer. 

😇 It’s incredible to think that the very mRNA technology which saved countless lives during COVID-19 is now being re-engineered to tackle lung cancer. It seems poetic that it's happening within half a decade of the pandemic.

— Dr Lennard Lee (Oxford University) (@drlennardlee) August 23, 2024

The Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad continues to deliver.

The NHS is at breaking point, 1000s waiting for treatment, but these ambitious projects show better is possible.

A hugely exciting step forward for lung cancer treatment, one we can hope will be lifesaving in the future. https://t.co/v9ePRmDmrQ

— Richard Simcock (@BreastDocUK) August 23, 2024

HCPs enthusiastically shared the news that the first patient in the UK received a dose of a vaccine designed to combat the most common form of lung cancer and prevent its recurrence. This introduction of mRNA vaccine technology to the lung cancer space was seen as a significant and promising milestone in the fight against this “prevalent and feared cancer”. 

Start of clinical trial of mRNA vaccine technology as treatment against lung cancer. Great news.https://t.co/sbuwRJiICs

— Tom Van Agtmael (@TomVanAgtmael) August 23, 2024

The sentiment among HCPs was hopeful, with oncologist Lennard Lee noting that in recent months “[they’ve] seen hope materialise through the launch of head and neck cancer  vaccine trials, followed by trials for bowel cancer, skin cancer, and  now, lung cancer.” However, there was also recognition of the challenges ahead; dentist Hamilton Flart highlighted the intensity of the mRNA treatment regimen, but expressed optimism about its potential effectiveness.

Exciting first steps for novel lung cancer vaccines https://t.co/VebecZpf48

— Thomas Round 💙 (@drtomround) August 23, 2024

Moreover, the RSV vaccination program launching in the UK this autumn remained a hot topic for HCPs, as we discovered in last month’s respiratory tracker. 44% of RSV mentions discussed the upcoming RSV vaccine program and its potential to prevent serious infant illness.  The UK Health Security Agency post about he vaccination programme was shared by 41 HCPs.

#RSV ‘vaccine will be a game changer in helping prevent serious infant illness’

it could ‘typically prevent 5,000 hospitalisations and 15,000 emergency department attendances for infants’

HT @NHSEngland https://t.co/y6UbZt8QDL @NHSBartsHealth @NHS_NELondon @BHRUT_NHS

— 🌟 Kath Evans RGN RSCN 💙💛 (@KathEvans2) August 29, 2024

Each month, we track the HCP conversation relating to respiratory disease. You can read other editions in the Respiratory Tracker archive .

You can also keep updated with other pharmaceutical tracking updates, including how HCPs engage with Top 50 pharma and the product approvals that are catching their attention.  To receive updates straight to your inbox you can sign up for our monthly eJournal with our latest HCP insights. 

If you want to dig deeper into what we have seen this month then please get in touch. 

Methodology

CREATION Pinpoint® was used to analyse 2,043 mentions on X from 901 HCPs in the UK discussing respiratory disease and related terms, between 21 July 2024 and 30 August 2024.