NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre

Enabling translational research through partnership

MENUMENU
  • About
    • About the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre
    • A Guide to What We Do
    • Activities during COVID-19
    • Strategic Partnership Board
    • Steering Committee
    • Promoting Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Research
    • Current Vacancies
    • Contact Us
    • Stay in Touch
  • Research
        • OUR 20 RESEARCH THEMES

        • Antimicrobial Resistance and Modernising Microbiology
        • Cardiovascular
        • Clinical Informatics and Big Data
        • Diabetes and Metabolism
        • Gastroenterology and Mucosal Immunity
        • Genomic Medicine
        • Haematology and Stem Cells
        • Imaging
        • Molecular Diagnostics
        • Multi-Modal Cancer Therapies
        • Multi-Morbidity and Long-Term Conditions
        • Musculoskeletal
        • Neurological Conditions
        • Obesity, Diet and Lifestyle
        • Partnerships for Health, Wealth and Innovation
        • Respiratory
        • Stroke and Vascular Dementia
        • Surgical Innovation and Evaluation
        • Technology and Digital Health
        • Vaccines for Emerging and Endemic Diseases
        • Oxford Biomedical Research Centre activities during COVID-19
  • Patient & Public Involvement
    • Getting involved with research
    • Researcher Guidance
    • Post an opportunity for patient and public involvement
  • Training Hub
    • Training Hub Overview
    • Clinical Academic Pathway
    • Internships
    • Preparatory Research Fellowships
    • Senior Research Fellowships
    • Research Training Bursaries
    • Doctoral Awards
    • Post-Doctoral Awards
    • Other funding
    • Leadership Training
    • Useful Links
    • Training and Education Resources
    • Upcoming Training Events & Courses
  • Industry
    • Collaborate with Oxford BRC
    • What Can We Do For Your Organisation?
    • Who Do We Work With?
    • IP and Licensing
    • Contacts for Industry
  • Videos
  • News
  • Events

News

You are here: Home > COVID-19 > Study highlights ongoing COVID-19 risk in some cancer patients despite vaccination

Study highlights ongoing COVID-19 risk in some cancer patients despite vaccination

24 May 2022 · Listed under COVID-19, Multi-Modal Cancer Therapies

A study has found that while COVID-19 vaccination is effective in most cancer patients, the level of protection against COVID-19 infection, hospitalisation and death offered by the vaccine is less than in the general population and vaccine effectiveness wanes more quickly.

The study, published in Lancet Oncology by the UK Coronavirus Cancer Evaluation Project, was co-led by the Universities of Oxford, Birmingham and Southampton and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). It was supported by the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre.

Dr Lennard Lee, of the University of Oxford’s Department of Oncology, who led the study, said: “We know that people with cancer have a higher risk of severe COVID-19 disease and that the immune response in cancer patients following COVID-19 vaccination is lower. However, no study has looked at vaccine effectiveness and its waning in cancer patients at a population level. We have undertaken the largest real-world health system evaluation of COVID-19 in cancer patients globally.”

The study analysed 377,194 individuals with active or recent cancer who had received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and undergone a SARS-CoV-2 PCR test in England. The numbers of breakthrough COVID-19 infections and COVID-19-associated hospitalisations and deathsin this cohort were compared to a control population without active or recent cancer.

The overall vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19 infection in the general population after two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine over the study period was 69.8%, whereas in the cancer cohort, overall vaccine effectiveness was slightly lower (65.5%). This indicates that COVID-19 vaccination is effective in most cancer patients.

However, vaccine effectiveness wanes more quickly in cancer patients. At three to six months following the second vaccine dose, vaccine effectiveness fell by nearly a third from 61.4% in the general population to 47.0% in the cancer cohort.

While the vaccine offers higher protection against COVID-19-associated hospitalisation (83.3%) and death (93.4%) than against breakthrough infections in the cancer cohort, this protection also waned by three to six months after the second vaccine dose.

Looking at the differences between people with different types of cancer, vaccine effectiveness is lowest and wanes most quickly in those with the blood cancers lymphoma and leukaemia.

The type of treatment that people with cancer receive also impacts both overall vaccine effectiveness and waning. In cancer patients that were treated in the last 12 months with chemotherapy or radiotherapy, vaccine effectiveness is lower and waned more by three to six months than in cancer patients that did not receive these treatments or were treated more than a year previously.

Professor Peter Johnson, Professor of Medical Oncology at the University of Southampton, commented: “This study shows that for some people with cancer, COVID-19 vaccination may give less effective and shorter-lasting protection. This highlights the importance of vaccination booster programmes and rapid access to COVID-19 treatments for people undergoing cancer treatments.”

Helen Rowntree, Director of Research, Services and Engagement at Blood Cancer UK, said: “For our community, COVID-19 very much has not gone away and many people remain in their homes due to the threat of COVID-19 highlighted in this important study. We know how important the vaccines are for people with blood cancer. This study importantly shows that immunity wanes faster in people with blood cancer, who are entitled to five vaccine doses, and we’d encourage everyone with blood cancer to make sure they are getting these doses.”

← OUH agrees long COVID research collaboration with Polarean

News

  • Lymph nodes reveal more about mechanisms of autoimmunity 14 June 2022
  • Conference aims to forge collaborations to tackle dementia 9 June 2022
  • Lung function device wins top chemistry Prize 8 June 2022
See full news archive

News Categories

Month Archives

Subscribe to the Oxford BRC Newsletter

Keep informed about the work of the Oxford BRC by subscribing to our Mailchimp e-newsletter. It is produced several times a year and delivers news and information about upcoming events straight to your inbox.

Subscribe Now

Oxford BRC on Social Media

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Feedback

We’d love to hear your feedback. Please contact us at obrcenquiries@ouh.nhs.uk

  • Sitemap
  • Data Control and Privacy
  • Accessibility
  • Our Partners
  • Disclaimer
  • Contact

Copyright © 2022 NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre