Cancer patients, please get vaccinated!

[Hazelgreen]

Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination on Treatment for Patients With Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer Research and Treatment (Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2022 Oct;195(3):311-323. doi: 10.1007/s10549-022-06693-2. Epub 2022 Aug 8)

TAKE-HOME MESSAGE

"This prospective observational study evaluated the efficacy and impact of vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 variants on therapy among patients with breast cancer. Compared with patients not treated with systemic treatment, antibody concentration significantly decreased after COVID-19 vaccination in patients treated with chemotherapy or CDK4/6 inhibitors, despite a high seroconversion rate.

Seroconversion demonstrates poor concordance with neutralizing antibody titers against SARS-CoV-2 variants among patients with cancer. For patients receiving chemotherapy or CDK4/6 inhibitors, infection-prevention measures and COVID-19 booster vaccination are strongly recommended."

[Mumberly]

thank you for always sharing your findings. I really appreciate the time you take on this.

I may have misread some previous posts on the subject of Covid vaccines and breast cancer, but I thought the people who posted were suggesting that Covid or Covid vaccines were causing an acceleration in their cancer.

Have you seen anything about this? Do you recall these posts?

K

[Hazelgreen in reply to Mumberly]

I have read posts on this site from people who've had Covid and recovered well, but I haven't read any posts from Covid patients worried about accelerating their cancer.

Those who do get Covid should worry about its impact on our already compromised immune systems. It seems to me that we need to take all precautions to avoid other infections. Vaccinations can only help us

[TammyCross in reply to Hazelgreen]

It sounds to me like the opposite -- that the protection the vaccine provides against COVID declines more quickly among those receiving chemo or taking CDK4/6 inhibitors. We already have compromised immune systems and need to take all precautions.

[Hazelgreen in reply to TammyCross]

That's how I read the take-home message.

[OneLump22 in reply to Hazelgreen]

Here, here! In fact I need another booster It's been more than 6 mos. Has anyone heard more on the Monkey Pox situation?

[CatLady2022 in reply to Mumberly]

I posted about an acceleration of my prior dormant BC after having Covid which correlates with my personal experience with women in my area who had Covid and then an acceleration of MBC or finding out they had aggressive BC after having Covid. I don’t know if the vaccine or Covid itself is to blame. On my part personally, I am not vaccinated and I had Covid March 10th, 2022, a mild case where the only symptom I had was extreme groin pain. I went in for an MRI because of the groin pain and was diagnosed with MBC at the end of March. Don’t know for sure about a connection but it is certainly something the medical community should be looking into further. I did read one study where they are finding a connection to Covid and an acceleration of breast cancer but it was with patients who experienced extreme symptoms during Covid. I didn’t even know I had Covid until my hubs was tested and tested positive with no symptoms (he is vaccinated) and so I tested and was positive with no symptoms. I did experience extreme groin pain so much so that I had trouble walking but I didn’t think that was Covid related as that is not a documented symptom of covid. Is there a relation between Covid and BC or MBC? I guess we will never know unless they start testing or asking questions and honestly I don’t see that happening. My oncologist shrugged it off when I questioned her on it because they probably don’t know either one way or the other.

[Dancer1000 in reply to CatLady2022]

That is interesting. My BC has progressed significantly and is now aggressive. Had both my Covid shots and and booster and wonder if that has anything to do with the change. Had Covid recently for the first time and it was relatively mild. Didn't even know I had it. Found out when I went to the emergency room due to pleural effusion and they told me I had Covid as well. I am not big on getting the boosters and now I am really conflicted on getting a second and third booster. This is so much stuff going into our bodies that aren't natural.

[Hazelgreen in reply to Dancer1000]

If you think vaccines "aren't natural", what is your opinion of cancer meds with their enormous impact on our immune systems???

[Dancer1000 in reply to Hazelgreen]

In my last sentence I was referring to cancer meds as well. While they aren't natural they are certainly helpful as we are all trying to find the treatment that works for us. Even your oncologist will tell you that they are toxins. But for now it is what we have to rely on. I utilize natural herbs and supplements as well - guided only by a functional medicine dr who is also an oncologist so there are no counterindications.

[AvidBooklover]

I had Covid in March 2020...had both orig vaccines. Never have been boosted. At the time I was scheduled for a PET/CT and we did not want to compromise the test. Have done tests for antobodies levels. Have still been high. Thought I had a very very mild case of Omnicron variant in May. I was right. Antibodies are hugher!! Never that sick.

[SpongebobMom]

After the booster I said to myself, "I'm good" no more boosters etc.

I had Covid this past June, it was mild and I recovered just fine. The shots/boosters were way worse than the actual disease, I developed so many auto immune responses I was out of my mind.

Standing by my "I'm good with no more boosters..."

[bracelets1]

I have been vaccinated twice but no boosters - My onc said it was my choice because the shots weren't preventing me from getting it- then my decision - I had COVID in December for the 2nd time and it was not bad aside from the exhaustion. I also developed a heart issue after getting the first 2 shots in 2020 - Which I understand has been considered on the uptake with these vaccines. I am deciding if I will get the new vaccine that will be available this fall - And the only reason I am considering it at all, is if I do get Covid again, it may make the symptoms less severe. The jury is still out...

[LDR1]

Thanks for posting this Hazelgreen! It seems to confirm what we already believed which is that cancer patients’ compromised immune systems don’t create or maintain as many antibodies in response to the Covid vaccine. All the more reason to get fully vaxxed and boosted for those who can tolerate it. I just had my 5th or 6th shot (have lost track) — the new bivalent booster that works for Omicron (made by Pfizer; all other shots were Moderna). I haven’t felt any side effects at all from these shots.

There’s some new research out saying the Covid infections may be correlated with increased cancer rates, probably related to the high levels of inflammation caused by Covid and Long Covid.