Immune Response and Effects of COVID-19 Vaccination in Patients with Lung Cancer—COVID Lung Vaccine Study

Ainhoa Hernandez, Marc Boigues, Eudald Felip, Marc Cucurull, Lucia Notario, Anna Pous, Pere Torres, Marta Benitez, Marina Rodriguez, Bibiana Quirant, Margarita Romeo, Daniel Fuster, Teresa Moran*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Lung cancer patients represent a subgroup of special vulnerability in whom the SARS-CoV-2 infection could attain higher rates of morbidity and mortality. Therefore, those patients were recommended to receive SARS-CoV-2 vaccines once they were approved. However, little was known at that time regarding the degree of immunity developed after vaccination or vaccine-related adverse events, and more uncertainty involved the real need for a third dose. We sought to evaluate the immune response developed after vaccination, as well as the safety and efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in a cohort of patients with lung cancer. Patients were identified through the Oncology/Hematology Outpatient Vaccination Program. Anti-Spike IgG was measured before any vaccine and at 3–6-, 6–9- and 12–15-month time points after the 2nd dose. Detailed clinical data were also collected. In total, 126 patients with lung cancer participated and received at least one dose of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. At 3–6 months after 2nd dose, 99.1% of baseline seronegative patients seroconverted and anti-Spike IgG titers went from a median value of 9.45 to 720 UI/mL. At the 6–9-month time point, titers raised to a median value of 924 UI/mL, and at 12–15 months, after the boost dose, they reached a median value of 3064 UI/mL. Adverse events to the vaccine were mild, and no SARS- CoV-2 infection-related deaths were recorded. In this lung cancer cohort, COVID-19 vaccines were safe and effective irrespective of the systemic anticancer therapy. Most of the patients developed anti-Spike IgG after the second dose, and these titers were maintained over time with low infection and reinfection rates with a mild clinical course.

Original languageEnglish
Article number137
Number of pages17
JournalCancers
Volume15
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2023

Keywords

  • Anti-spike antibodies
  • Lung cancer
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Vaccination immune response

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