Areas of Uncertainty in SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination for Cancer Patients

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, it was recognized that infection with SARS-CoV-2 is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in patients with cancer; therefore, preventive vaccination in cancer survivors is expected to be particularly impactful. Heterogeneity in how a neoplastic disease diagnosis and treatment interferes with humoral and cellular immunity, however, poses a number of challenges in vaccination strategies. Herein, the available literature on the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines among patients with cancer is critically appraised under the lens of anti-neoplastic treatment optimization. The objective of this review is to highlight areas of uncertainty, where more research could inform future SARS-CoV-2 immunization programs and maximize benefits in the high-risk cancer survivor population, and also minimize cancer treatment deviations from standard practices.

Automated summary

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, it was recognized that infection with SARS-CoV-2 is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in patients with cancer. Therefore, preventive vaccination in cancer survivors is expected to be particularly impactful. However, the heterogeneity in how a neoplastic disease diagnosis and treatment interferes with immunity poses challenges in vaccination. This review critically appraises the available literature on the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines among cancer patients to inform future immunization programs and minimize treatment deviations.