The current measles outbreak has gripped US states like Texas and New Mexico leaving people worried whether it would become a new pandemic. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services as of February 21, 90 cases were diagnosed in the last month in the South Plains area, with at least 77 of them were reported in children and teens under 17.

Measles is highly contagious and can be deadly. The outbreak, which started spreading in late January, has resulted in multiple hospitalizations, with at least nine confirmed cases and three probable cases as of early February. Health officials caution that at least one in five infected individuals will have to be hospitalized, highlighting the severity of the situation.

Misinformation surrounding vaccines and with the new Trump administration anti-vaccine campaigs, has causing parents to hesitate or refuse vaccination.

Furthermore, the country down under Australia is also witnessing a surge in measles cases as health officials in Sydney have issued an urgent alert, urging residents to watch for measles symptoms after an infected individual visited several places in Sydney over the last seven days.

Authorities report that the traveller had returned from South East Asia where there are ongoing outbreaks of measles.

What Are The Symptoms Measles?

Key symptoms of measles include fever, a runny nose, sore eyes, and a cough. Typically, a red, blotchy rash appears three to four days later, spreading from the head down to the body. Symptoms can manifest between 7 and 18 days after exposure.

Anyone who experiences these symptoms after potential exposure should immediately contact their doctor or emergency department. It is crucial to call ahead before visiting to avoid potentially exposing others in the waiting room. Dr. Selvey also highlighted that ongoing measles outbreaks are occurring in various parts of the world, making awareness and prompt action essential.

Why It Is Important To Get Vaccinated?

According to CDC everyone should get the MMR vaccine. It protects you from measles, mumps, and rubella. Getting vaccinated helps stop these diseases from spreading. There are two safe MMR vaccines available. They work the same way, so it doesn't matter which one you get. Kids can also get a shot that protects against chickenpox too, but this is only for children.

Who Should Get Vaccinated?

Kids Need Two Shots

All children should get two MMR shots. The first shot should be given when they are between 12 and 15 months old. The second shot should be given when they are between 4 and 6 years old. If needed, the second shot can be given earlier, but it must be at least 28 days after the first shot.

College Students Need to Be Protected

Students going to college or other schools after high school, need two shots if they are not already immune. The shots must be at least 28 days apart.

Adults Need at Least One Shot

Most adults need at least one MMR shot. Some adults need two shots, especially those who work in healthcare, travel a lot, or go to college. These people should get two shots, with 28 days between them.

Travelers Need to Be Extra Careful

Anyone traveling to other countries should make sure they are protected. Babies 6 to 11 months old should get one shot before traveling. Kids 12 months and older, teens, and adults need two shots, with 28 days between them.

Healthcare Workers Must Be Immune

People who work in healthcare should have proof that they are immune to measles, mumps, and rubella. If they are not immune, they need two MMR shots, spaced 28 days apart.

Women Thinking About Having Babies

Women who might get pregnant should talk to their doctor about the MMR vaccine. It's safe to get the shot while breastfeeding.

Actress Busy Philipps recently revealed that she underwent two surgeries this year after doctors found a rare brain tumour. They discovered it unexpectedly during a full-body MRI despite her not having obvious symptoms.

The Dawson's Creek and Cougar Town actor, 47, told PEOPLE that the tumour was discovered in February after she underwent a Prenuvo full-body scan. The scan showed a 2.6-cm mass in her brain, which was later diagnosed as a grade 2 oligodendroglioma.

She underwent surgery on March 2 to remove the tumour. She then needed a second operation after developing a staphylococcal infection at the surgical site. She has since returned to work and said she is now undergoing regular monitoring, without chemotherapy or radiation.

What Is An Oligodendroglioma?

An oligodendroglioma is a rare type of glioma, a tumour that develops from cells in the brain or spinal cord.

These tumours arise from oligodendrocytes, cells that help produce myelin, the protective coating surrounding nerve fibres.

Grade 2 oligodendrogliomas are generally slow-growing, although they are classified as malignant because they can grow back or become more aggressive over time.

Dr Alexandra Miller, Philipps' neuro-oncologist at NYU Langone, told PEOPLE that the tumour is considered malignant because of its ability to regrow. She also said oligodendroglioma affects approximately 1,100 to 1,300 people in the US each year.

“It is considered malignant, but it has the best prognosis of all of the malignant gliomas,” says Miller. “It’s sort of defined as a cancerous tumor based on the ability of the tumor to regrow over time, rather than it looking very malignant under the microscope.”

Philipps’s early detection, before she had any symptoms, was beneficial, Dr. John Golfinos of NYU Langone said. He said that If she had waited until having symptoms like seizures, the tumor — which was a grade 2 on a scale of 2 to 4 — “would have been two or three times the size. It might have been much harder to take the whole thing out."

Also read: Daraxonrasib: US FDA Approves Once-Daily Pill for Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer

Brain Tumours Can Remain Hidden For Years

One striking part of Philipps' story is that she did not have obvious neurological symptoms. Oligodendrogliomas can sometimes grow slowly enough that people do not immediately notice anything is wrong.

Symptoms depend heavily on where the tumour develops and can include seizures, headaches, changes in behaviour or personality, problems with speech or vision, weakness and difficulties with memory or thinking.

Philipps has said that, in retrospect, she had noticed some changes in her emotions and behaviour, including episodes of irritability and crying, but did not know they could be due to a brain tumour.

Also read: Dolly Parton Dies At 80 After ‘Brief Battle With Cancer’: What We Know So Far?

After Surgery, Why She Didn't Need Chemotherapy Or Radiation

Surgery is often the first treatment for oligodendroglioma. Doctors aim to remove as much of the tumour as possible while protecting healthy brain tissue, particularly parts responsible for speech, movement, memory and other essential functions.

Her doctor, Orrin Devinsky of NYU Langone, was the physician who reviewed her MRI and told her that the mass was a genuine tumour and needed to be removed.

In Philipps' case, surgeons successfully removed the 2.6-cm mass. The tissue was then examined to determine exactly what type of tumour she had.

They found that it wasn't the brain tumour type that requires immediate chemotherapy or radiation. Because Philipps had a grade 2 oligodendroglioma that was surgically removed, her medical team has opted for regular monitoring rather than additional treatment at this stage.

A city does not come to a standstill the moment one road narrows. First, traffic slows. Then detours become routine. People leave earlier, reach later, and modify their day around a problem that keeps getting worse.

The heart can face a similar bottleneck. A valve that should open freely may begin to narrow, forcing the heart to work harder to move blood forward. The change may feel gradual, so patients and families often adjust to it rather than question it. That is where delay begins.

Modern heart care has changed what can happen once the problem is recognized. TAVR has become an important option for many patients with severe narrowing of the aortic valve, offering a less invasive path than open-heart surgery for suitable candidates. The bigger challenge is often the myths that stop people from reaching the right evaluation at the right time.

Here are five myths about TAVR that modern heart care has outgrown, left, and what patients and families need to know before old beliefs turn into costly delays.

Myth 1: Heart valve treatment always means open-heart surgery

For many families, valve replacement still conjures a single image: a daunting operation, an extended hospital stay, and a recovery that seems hard to picture.

TAVR offers an alternative route for eligible patients. A replacement valve is delivered through a thin tube, most often through a blood vessel in the leg, and guided to the heart without opening the chest. Patients are also likely to spend less time in hospital after TAVR compared with surgical valve replacement.

Modern valve care may involve a less invasive procedure, a shorter hospital stay, and a more comfortable return to daily routine, depending on the patient’s condition.

Also read: Daraxonrasib: US FDA Approves Once-Daily Pill for Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer

Myth 2: TAVR is only for very elderly or very high-risk patients

Many patients rule themselves out too early. Someone may feel too active, too independent, or “not sick enough” to ask about TAVR.

Modern valve care has moved beyond that narrow view. TAVR is now an established option for an expanded range of appropriately selected candidates with severe aortic stenosis.

Thus, TAVR should not be treated as a last-resort option. A timely valve evaluation can show whether TAVR, surgery, or continued monitoring is the right path.

Myth 3: Feeling okay means the valve problem can wait

A heart valve problem does not always announce itself clearly. Early signs can blend into ordinary explanations.

Breathlessness may be blamed on age. Fatigue may be blamed on stress. Dizziness may be managed as a blood pressure or sugar issue. These explanations can sound reasonable while valve disease continues in the background. Aortic stenosis can also worsen over time, even when symptoms are absent at first.

A new drop in stamina after 60 deserves attention. An echocardiogram can show whether the valve is narrowing and how well the heart is coping.

Also read: H1N1 Cases, Deaths Rise Across India: States Reporting Surge, Red Flags to Know

Myth 4: Recovery from heart treatment always takes months

Fear of recovery can become one reason families postpone care.

TAVR can offer a gentler recovery for many older adults. Shorter hospital stays reduce the burden on caregivers. Earlier mobilisation can reduce deconditioning and anxiety after prolonged bed rest. Recovery still varies, and every patient needs a guided plan for activity, medicines, follow-ups, and rehabilitation when needed.

Recovery after TAVR is carefully guided and often far less disruptive than most patients expect.

Myth 5: TAVR is a one-size-fits-all procedure

The best valve plan is never borrowed from another patient’s story.

A heart team evaluates anatomy, valve characteristics, vascular access, and the full clinical picture before recommending TAVR or surgery. Current valve care also looks ahead, since some patients may need another procedure years later, and long-term follow-up is necessary. A lifetime heart-team approach is especially important as valve durability, surveillance, and future treatment options are planned.

TAVR is personalized care. The right question is whether it fits the patient’s anatomy, health, goals, and future needs.

What Families Must Remember

Old myths can make modern care feel more frightening than it needs to be. A practical response begins with noticing change early. New breathlessness, chest pressure, dizziness, fainting, unexplained fever, or a sudden drop in energy must prompt medical advice.

Care does not end after treatment. Ongoing checkups, echocardiograms, medications, dental care, walking routines, and cardiac rehab all help safeguard recovery and long-term valve health.

Modern valve care has advanced and moved. Patients and families can move forward too by asking timely questions, seeking the right evaluation, and choosing treatments based on today’s possibilities, not yesterday’s assumptions.

By Dr Maulik Parekh, Head – TAVR and Structural Heart Programme, Section Coordinator

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Rasonque (daraxonrasib), a once-daily pill, for adults with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma, offering a new treatment option for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

Rasonque is a once-daily tablet that targets multiple forms of a protein called RAS, a key driver of tumor growth in most patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma, which arises from cells lining the ducts of the pancreas.

The approval is for adults with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma who have received at least one prior systemic therapy or are not candidates for multiagent systemic therapy.

“Today’s approval provides a critical new option for patients facing an extraordinarily difficult and historically hard-to-treat cancer. It is our fundamental duty to deliver more cures and meaningful treatments to patients as quickly as possible,” said Acting FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantas, JD.

Pancreatic Cancer Remains Difficult To Treat

Also read: Former US Senator Ben Sasse Opens Up About Battle With Terminal Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer has long been one of the toughest challenges in oncology. The five-year survival rate is around 13%, while recurrence rates approach 80% after treatment.

Approximately 90% to 95% of the 67,000 new pancreatic cancer cases diagnosed in the US each year are pancreatic adenocarcinoma, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Although pancreatic cancer represents roughly 3.2% of all cancer diagnoses, pancreatic adenocarcinoma accounts for a disproportionately high share of cancer deaths because of its typically late detection, aggressive disease course and historically limited treatment options.

However, daraxonrasib, developed by US-based late-stage clinical oncology company Revolution Medicines, has shown promise in improving survival among patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer.

What Is Daraxonrasib?

Daraxonrasib is a once-daily oral pill that demonstrated statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) compared with standard intravenous chemotherapy.

The drug is described as a multi-selective inhibitor of RAS(ON) proteins and is the first approved drug in this new class of RAS inhibitors designed to target a broad spectrum of cancer-causing RAS mutations.

Daraxonrasib works by blocking KRAS signaling proteins that drive tumour growth. Pancreatic cancer is considered one of the most RAS-driven cancers, with more than 90% of patients carrying tumo\rs driven by RAS protein mutations.

Who Can Take Daraxonrasib?

Read More: New Pancreatic Cancer Drug Daxaronrasib May Benefit Patients With Lung And Ovarian Tumors Too

The FDA approval is specifically for adults with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma in two situations:

• Patients who have received at least one prior systemic therapy.
• Patients who are not candidates for multiagent systemic therapy.

Daraxonrasib Clinical Trial

In the Phase 3 clinical trial, including 500 adults, daraxonrasib led to a median overall survival of 13.2 months, compared

with 6.7 months with chemotherapy.

Daraxonrasib also significantly improved progression-free survival compared with chemotherapy. Similar RAS-targeting drugs are now being developed by other companies for pancreatic, lung and colon cancers.

What Are The Side Effects?

According to the company, daraxonrasib was generally well tolerated, with a manageable safety profile and no new safety signals. Prior studies with daraxonrasib have shown that rash is the most common side effect. Mouth sores, diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting have also been reported.

Pancreatic Cancer: Know The Warning Signs

Pancreatic cancer typically begins in the ducts of the organ and can rapidly spread to other parts of the body. Early-stage pancreatic tumours may not show up on imaging tests, making the disease difficult to diagnose until it has spread to other organs.

Prevention and early detection remain vital. Pancreatic cancer can often resemble common ailments, potentially delaying diagnosis.

Symptoms That Should Not Be Ignored

• Abdominal or back pain
• Unexplained weight loss
• Jaundice
• Changes in urine or stool
• New-onset diabetes
• Persistent fatigue.