Leukemia Lymphoma Society Study

[Davidcara]

Wondering what ever happened to the LLS Covid Vaccine T Cell Response Study results. I contacted them several weeks ago, and was told not ready for release yet. Wondering if anyone has seen or heard anything about this?

[DanBro1]

In the past, I have had zero response from four Moderna vaccinations - according to tests from Labcorp/LLS. I have had Evusheld injections and will be tested for antibodies next month for another LLS study. I can tell you that an infectious disease doc that I know told me that T cells work really well in fighting disease when we are short antibodies.....

[Davidcara in reply to DanBro1]

Interesting, for people with CLL I was told the opposite. That is, not to expect to much T Cell benefit.

[AussieNeil Administrator in reply to Davidcara]

I've heard the opposite; for example this study reported 80% of CLL patients generated a T cell response onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi...

[Davidcara in reply to AussieNeil]

It does say many had T cell response. Would be interested in seeing other larger studies. Especially for those on BTKi therapy. Still after reading this study, I do not feel very confident in having substantial T cell covid protection. I guess I could get my vaccine T cell response checked. Just not sure I want to go down that road, when it will not result in a behavior change.

[Davidcara in reply to AussieNeil]

One small study does not always translate to real world data. If people with CLL have good T cell response to covid, or covid vaccines, why would we be considered one of the most vulnerable risk groups for poor disease outcome. I think for me, I need to look at it as though my immune system is messed up, and need to be super careful in my actions as they pertain to not catching covid. Which is becoming very difficult to avoid. I think not ever having covid will be like saying you never had the flu; impossible.

[DanBro1 in reply to Davidcara]

Who told you??? I was told by an infectious disease doctor that T cells AND other mechanisms are at work along with antibodies. Do you have a link to the site that says CLL patients have no T cell response??

[Davidcara in reply to DanBro1]

I did not say no T cell response. I was told poor T cell response when on BTKi by my oncologist. Also heard this from other CLL specialist. Have you heard of anyone on treatment who had a robust antibody or T cell vaccine response ?

[DanBro1]

I believe T cells do a lot to protect us immunocompromised. We need more clarity on what T cells do in this Covid war. Like you, I have had four Covid vaccinations - ALL producing no antibody response in my body. I am hoping Evusheld is doing its job in my body. I am donating blood to LLS next month to check my antibody response.... I have been off O+V treatment since March 1st.

[Davidcara in reply to DanBro1]

Hope your lab results provide not only good insight to your protection but, also many many antibodies.

[Davidcara in reply to DanBro1]

Actually, thinking about this…if we were to have good T cell protection, or any type of decent protection from covid, wondering why we are at the top of the list of people who should be given Evusheld. Whenever I see Evusheld prioritization list, there we are, right at the top of prioritization, people with B cell cancers.

[bennevisplace]

We do have a synopsis of the Birmingham University study cell.com/cancer-cell/fullte... which looked at both antibody and T cell responses to rounds of vaccine in CLL patients, and reported that (with my emphasis):

"In conclusion, SARS-CoV-2 vaccines are currently providing good clinical protection for patients with CLL, but approximately 20% of patients are refractory to seroconversion and are at increased risk of infection. In contrast, cellular responses after vaccination are comparable with those of healthy donors and may be critical for preventing severe disease".

Behind general conclusions like these there will of course lie exceptions. I recall that one of our members on active treatment with Ibrutinib had an antibody response after a 4th shot of over 1,000 units (mine, 21 months after treatment was 1.6 units after a 3rd shot).

The Birmingham group's work on antibody responses is largely published, I think, papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers... but we've yet to see the detail of their work on cellular responses. From memory, the CLL subsets with the lowest chance of a positive Ab response were those in treatment with a BTKi and those less than a year after treatment with a CD20 antibody - in line with what other researchers found.

At least some of those on treament with Ibrutinib may benefit from the side effect that restores T-cell function, as observed independently by several researchers.

[Davidcara in reply to bennevisplace]

If this translates to real world data, I guess it is good, as long as you are not one of the 20 percent: "In conclusion, SARS-CoV-2 vaccines are currently providing good clinical protection for patients with CLL, but approximately 20% of patients are refractory to seroconversion and are at increased risk of infection

I guess this is also good if you are one of the at least some: At least some of those on treament with Ibrutinib may benefit from the side effect that restores T-cell function, as observed independently by several researchers.

Bottom line for me, keeping my N95 nice and tight next to my face.