Lower COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness in Hematologic Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy

Research by Professor Yoon Jin-ah's Team at Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital

A study has found that the preventive effect of the COVID-19 vaccine in blood cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy is significantly lower than that in solid cancer patients.

Professor Yoon Jin-ah's team from the Department of Hematology and Oncology at Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital.
[Photo by Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital]

The research team led by Professor Yoon Jin-ah from the Department of Hematology and Oncology at Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital (Professors Kim Se-hyung, Kim Chan-gyu, Park Seong-gyu, Lim Seong-hee, Clinical Pathologist Choi Seong-hyeok, Nurses Kim Ji-yeon and Kim Bo-ra) conducted a comparative study on antibody responses after COVID-19 vaccination in solid cancer and blood cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, confirming these findings on the 22nd.

The team evaluated the levels of COVID-19 neutralizing antibodies in 48 solid cancer patients and 37 blood cancer patients who had received the COVID-19 vaccine. As a result, blood cancer patients showed significantly lower levels of COVID-19 neutralizing antibodies compared to solid cancer patients. The average antibody response was 45.3% in blood cancer patients and 67.78% in solid cancer patients.

Professor Yoon stated, "We confirmed that blood cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy exhibit relatively weaker antibody responses to the COVID-19 vaccine," emphasizing, "It is important for blood cancer patients to adhere to preventive measures such as wearing masks, social distancing, and hand hygiene even after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine to prevent infection."

This study was recently published in the Asia-Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Meanwhile, the research team has published multiple studies on antibody formation after COVID-19 vaccination and changes in antibody formation after COVID-19 infection in high-risk groups such as cancer patients and healthcare workers, which have been published in SCI-level journals. Professor Yoon said, "We hope that various studies related to the COVID-19 vaccine will help understand the immune responses of cancer patients and healthcare workers, evaluate preventive effects, and assist in planning future additional vaccinations."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.