Covid vaccine, 94% effective in cancer patients but with 2 doses in 21 days

The Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus vaccine works in cancer patients, but two doses in 21 days are needed to achieve adequate protection. It is the result of a maxi study on the immunological response and safety of the anti-Covid vaccine to mRna in people affected by cancer. The research, presented today at the Sapienza University of Rome, was conducted by the Regina Elena-Sapienza Institute and was published in the journal ‘Clinical Cancer Research’. The study enrolled 816 patients. “The response rate increased significantly from 59.8% at 3 weeks after the first injection to 94.2% after the second. Evaluations on the maintenance of immunoreactivity over time are underway to define the need for the third administration in these fragile patients, but the preliminary data show a notable decrease compared to the healthy ones and a prediction of zeroing of antibodies in patients at about 9 months compared to 16 of the healthy “, said Francesco Cognetti, director of medical oncology of Regina Elena-Sapienza. The study therefore enrolled over 800 patients with different types of solid neoplasms, in particular breast cancer (31%), lung cancer (21%) and melanoma (15%), on active treatment or undergoing treatment in the 6 months prior to vaccination anti-Covid. “All patients received both doses of vaccine 21 days apart – continued Cognetti – The serological response rate and the positive titer of IgG immunoglobulins are were measured at three different times: before vaccination, at 3 and 7 weeks after the first injection. The comparison group with healthy people was represented by 274 health workers, who underwent full-cycle anti-Covid immunization. The antibody response rate increased significantly in cancer patients from 59.8% at 21 days after the first dose to 94.2% after 7 weeks. Instead, healthy operators showed a response rate of 93.7% already 21 days after the first dose, reaching 100% at 7 weeks “.” All vaccinated cancer patients – highlighted the oncologist – were followed up with frequent molecular buffers. Overall, only 5 cases (0.6%) of Covid infections were recorded, however asymptomatic. This confirms the very high value of vaccination in this very fragile patient population “. (Continues)