Vaccines for COVID-19 Effective with Cancer Patients, New Study Shows

COVID-19 vaccines are effective with people who are diagnosed with cancer, a recent study finds.

Almost 90 percent of the cancer patients had tested positive with the coronavirus antibodies after they were given shots of Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine. In just a span of two weeks, those who obtained the second dose are proven to receive the vaccine well.

The patients' anti-bodies are weaker than those who aren't diagnosed with cancer. After they are given the complete dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, results showed that they acquired immunity that is 70 percent lower compared to the non-cancer patients. But even though it isn't the same as the expected protection rate, experts find the outcome positive.

Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine Effective on Cancer Patients

Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine is somehow effective in terms of fighting off the virus. The study, "Evaluation of Seropositivity Following BNT162b2 Messenger RNA Vaccination for SARS-CoV-2 in Patients Undergoing Treatment for Cancer," was published in the journal JAMA Oncology

Pfizer and Moderna are among the COVID-19 vaccines with a significantly higher rate of protection, reports UPI. Both vaccines have a 90 percent effectivity rate.

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Other Vaccines Expected to Show Same Protection Rate

Cancer patients take medications that could affect any extra medicines that they are prescribed, a challenge when it comes to COVID-19 vaccines.

The study found no adverse side effects among cancer patients who were given two doses of the vaccine.

The medications that can possibly impede the protection rate of the COVID-19 vaccines include methotrexate and steroids. These medications are taken not only by cancer patients but also by people who are treated with psoriasis, arthritis, and sclerosis.

Chemotherapy can also interfere with the COVID-19 immunity treatment, said Amos Stemmer, co-author of the study and an oncology professor at the Rabin Medical Center, a major hospital in Petah Tikva, Israel.

Based on the study, 100 percent of non-diagnosed individuals were detected to have active antibodies along with the successful 90 percent of the cancer patient group. In addition, the participants of the study who are being treated with cancer medications have the minimum threshold of the required antibodies against COVID-19.

The initial findings of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine study among cancer patients will continue. The cancer patients will still be monitored to determine the relation of the vaccine and cancer conditions.

Researchers plan to study Moderna's vaccine, which is expected to have similar effects to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, Stemmer said.