Cancer patients do benefit from COVID-19 vaccination, study finds
The rate of developing antibodies varies by cancer type and treatment


Date:
March 10, 2022
Source:
H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute
Summary:
A recent study followed 515 patients with varying cancers. The goal
was to evaluate if patients had an immune response to the Moderna
mRNA-1273 vaccine and if that response differed by diagnosis
and treatment.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Cancer patients who have compromised immune systems due to their disease
or therapy remain at high risk for COVID-19 infection. It is why this population was one of the first to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. However,
while clinical trials showed vaccination could prevent infection or lessen
the risk of severe illness in healthy individuals, it was unclear if those considered immunocompromised would have a similar response. Moffitt Cancer Center researchers quickly put together one of the largest observational studies to date to answer that question. Their results were published
today in JAMA Oncology.


==========================================================================
The study, led by Drs. Anna R. Giuliano, Shari Pilon-Thomas and Jeffrey E.

Lancet, followed 515 patients with varying cancers. The goal was to
evaluate if patients had an immune response to the Moderna mRNA-1273
vaccine and if that response differed by diagnosis and treatment.

Patients provided blood samples before their first and second doses
of the vaccine and again one month later. Each sample was tested for
COVID-19 antibodies. For comparison, antibody levels were measured for
18 healthy adults receiving the mRNA-1273 vaccine.

The results showed that most cancer patients had seroconverted, meaning
they developed antibodies after receiving the vaccine. Overall, 71.3% of patients seroconverted after the first dose, 90.3% after the second. There were, however, differences among cancer types. Patients with blood cancers
had lower seroconversion rates when compared to those with solid tumors,
84.7% versus 98.1%.

"Although we did see higher seroconversion rates among solid tumor
patients, it is important to point out the antibody titers were lower
than seen in healthy adults. Unfortunately, we don't know how much
antibody a person needs to provide full protection against the virus,"
said Giuliano, founding director of the Center for Immunization and
Infection Research in Cancer at Moffitt.

Blood cancer patients with lymphoid disease, such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia and B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, had the lowest seroconversion
rates.

And patients with those diseases who were on active treatment fared
even worse.

"This finding was to be expected. Lymphoid disease affects B cells,
which your immune system needs to make antibodies. If a patient's B cells
are suppressed, either through the disease process itself or treatment,
chances are low they would be able to make antibodies," said Lancet,
chair of the Malignant Hematology Department at Moffitt.

Lancet said certain treatments also had an impact on
seroconversion. Patients who received anti-CD20 antibodies within six
months of vaccination had no immune response. And those treated with
BTK inhibitors, Venetoclax and CD19 targeted CAR T-cell therapy had the
lowest seroconversion rates.

The researchers are continuing to follow study participants, taking
blood samples at six, 12 and 24 months. The team has also launched a
companion study evaluating immune response in cancer patients following
a third dose of the mRNA-1273 vaccine.

Their work is supported by the National Cancer Institute (P30CA076292),
the state of Florida (MOD17) and the Investigator-Initiated Studies
Program of Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.


========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by H._Lee_Moffitt_Cancer_Center_&_Research_Institute. Note: Content may be
edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Anna R. Giuliano, Jeffrey E. Lancet, Shari Pilon-Thomas, Ning Dong,
Akriti G. Jain, Elaine Tan, Somedeb Ball, Shelley S. Tworoger,
Erin M.

Siegel, Junmin Whiting, Qianxing Mo, Christopher L. Cubitt,
Christopher W. Dukes, Jonathan A. Hensel, Robert J. Keenan, Patrick
Hwu. Evaluation of Antibody Response to SARS-CoV-2 mRNA-1273
Vaccination in Patients With Cancer in Florida. JAMA Oncology,
2022; DOI: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2022.0001 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/03/220310143730.htm

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