Does anyone know where to find out more information on the low response (13%) to the first dose of the vaccine in blood cancer patients reported on the BBC news website this morning? Looks very worrying.
You are here
Response to 1st dose of vaccine by blood cancer patients. BBC this morning
Hi Christine,
You can find more about it here:
https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/delaying-second-vaccine-dose-cancer-patients-...
A bit more here:
https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/find-a-clinical-trial/a-st...
The study is called "SOAP" which wasn't a great choice when it comes to finding details online about it easily!
David.
Thanks David.
No specifics of the blood cancer but does make you wonder where that leaves us. Most of us will have had the first dose over 3 weeks ago so does it mean we go back to square 1 and have 2 more jabs or are we left as vulnerable?
Hi Christine, remember that this is about 'immunocompromised' cancer patients... Cancer is an umbrella term and some cancers require quite invasive treatment with chemotherapy agents and/or radiation. I think in the second link in David's post cites breast cancer as an example where the immune system may be challenged because of these kinds of therapy regimes.
If you are responding well to targeted therapies such as TKis your immune system should be working as in the 'normal' population. Vaccine's are not the only answer and although they will add to our ability as 'blood cancer' patients to deal with a Covid infection, it is my view that each of us need to take as many actions as possible, such as adding high dose Vit D3/K2 plus other Vits/minerals outlined in several threads.
If you take a look at the pinned posts above there are 2 UK studies currently asking for volunteers from the CML population. These studies are both specific to CML patients rather than 'blood cancer' or 'cancer' patients in general.
Sandy
Thanks Sandy
There is a lot more information on twitter about the study which included a youtube video of one or the research scientists. Participants were elderly and eligible for vaccination in December. Also seemed to refer to Lymphoma rather than cml for the blood cancer part of the research. It also said no funds had been provided for this research as yet.
The Zoe covid app also stresses that the production of T cells and antibodies is not the main indicator that the vaccine is going to work.
I did see the research studies you mentioned but surely most of us have already had one jab so would not be eligible.
I will be staying careful but there does need to be some hope that a near normal life again or life will not be worth living.
Many people wonder about the reaction to the first dose of the vaccine in blood cancer patients—some cancer treatments, like chemotherapy or radiotherapy, lower immunity. COVID-19 vaccines may not be effective enough for these patients. Even so, weak protection against the virus is better than no protection at all. Therefore, a booster vaccination at the earliest after three months is required.
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