UArizona Cancer Center Study Indicates Cancer Patients on Chemo Many Times Don’t Receive Full Protection from COVID-19 Vaccine
A recent study led by the University of Arizona Health Sciences investigated whether cancer patients receiving chemotherapy face additional risks with the COVID-19 vaccine. Led by Rachna Shroff, chief of gastrointestinal medical oncology at the UArizona Cancer Center and director of the Cancer Center Clinical Trials Office, and a team of UArizona Health Sciences researchers, the study team found that 53 cancer patients receiving chemotherapy didn’t have the level of protection from the two-dose COVID-19 regimen as the treatment inhibits their immune response. However, at least in this study, a third dose mitigated the problem, raising immune response to combat SARS-CoV-2.
Results of this study were recently published in the prestigious peer-reviewed journal Nature.
Interdisciplinary Approach to Studies
The UArizona Health Science showcased an interdisciplinary and collaborative approach to the study, which facilitated efficiency from start to completion. Dr. Shroff declared, “The fact that we could answer this question in such a short time speaks to what can happen when you leverage the varied expertise we have within UArizona Health Sciences.”
Note that Dr. Shroff is a member of the BIO5 Institute. Launched in 2001 at the University of Arizona, this center connects and mobilizes hundreds of world-class plant, animal, and human bio-scientists, as well as engineers, physicians, and computational researchers to develop creative solutions for complex challenges such as disease, hunger, water, and food safety, and other health issues facing Arizona.
UArizona Accelerates Study
The interdisciplinary research team was formed not long after the Pfizer vaccine was approved in late 2020. The focus of the study was patients with solid tumors, such as breast or gastrointestinal cancer, and people on immunotherapy were excluded. Dr. Shroff reported, “Cancer Center clinicians went above and beyond to enroll their patients in the study because we all had a unified goal to protect our patients.”
The Study
University of Arizona News reported that this study compared the immune response after the first and second dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine with those of 50 healthy adults. After two vaccine doses, most of the cancer patients showed some immune response to the vaccine, meaning they had antibodies for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
The Findings
Another participating co-investigator, Deepta Bhattacharya, reported, “We were pleasantly surprised.” The professor of immunobiology in the College of Medicine—Tucson, also a member of the BIO5 Institute, continued, “We looked at antibodies, B cells and T cells, which make up the body’s defense system, and found the vaccine is likely to be at least partially protective for most people on chemotherapy.” But this response was lower than the average response in healthy adults. In fact, a few of the participants had no response to the COVID-19 vaccine, indicating in some cases, they had no immunization benefits. However, after receiving a third booster shot, 20 of the study’s participants had a positive immune response—much like what the average healthy person would experience after two doses.
UArizona Health Sciences
UArizona Health Sciences has campuses in Tucson and Phoenix and represents one of the top-ranked academic medical centers in the Southwest. UArizona Health Sciences includes the College of Medicine-Phoenix, College of Medicine-Tucson, College of Nursing, College of Pharmacy, and the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. In addition, 12 UArizona Health Sciences centers and programs focus on cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, pain and addiction, and respiratory diseases; biomedical informatics, health technology innovation and simulation training; and precision health care and health disparities. A leader in next-generation education, biomedical research, and public outreach, UArizona Health Sciences employs nearly 5,000 people, has approximately 4,000 students and 900 faculty members, and garners more than $200 million in research grants and contracts annually. Important background information can be found here.
UArizona includes the “Cancer Center,” one of the 51 comprehensive cancer centers across America backed by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), and part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Designation as Comprehensive Cancer Center represents the NCI’s highest designation. The Clinical Trials Office (CTO) oversees and conducts many clinical trials at UArizona Cancer Center.
Dedicated to advancing high-quality clinical trial research in accordance with the University of Arizona Cancer Center’s educational, research, clinical care, and community service mission, the CTO is responsible for the administrative, regulatory, and institutional requirements to establish and conduct clinical research at the University of Arizona Cancer Center which is supported through contracts with private industry and other entities.
The CTO serves as a central resource for the University of Arizona faculty, staff, and departments involved in cancer clinical trials research, as well as sponsors seeking to conduct cancer clinical trials at the University of Arizona Cancer Center.
Research Investigators
Rachna Shroff, MD chief of gastrointestinal medical oncology at the UArizona Cancer Center and director of the Cancer Center Clinical Trials Office
Deepta Bhattacharya, Ph.D. professor of immunobiology in the College of Medicine—Tucson, Cancer Biology Program
Coauthors include Dr. Pavani Chalasani, associate professor of medicine in the Cancer Center; Bonnie LaFleur, biostatistics research professor in the BIO5 Institute; Dr. Michael D. Dake, senior vice president of UArizona Health Sciences; Dr. Aaron J. Scott, associate professor of medicine; Dr. Janko Nikolich-Žugich, head of the Department of Immunobiology; Michael Worobey, head of the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Ryan Sprissler, manager of the University of Arizona Genetics Core; research assistant professor Mladen Jergovic; associate research scientist Jennifer L. Uhrlaub; postdoctoral researcher Marta V. Schoenle; graduate students Grace Quirk and Tyler J. Ripperger; research assistant Shelby Dalgai; research specialist Alexander Wolf; clinical research coordinator Hytham Hammad; Cancer Center program manager Daniel Pennington; research nurse Amy Carrier; and research technician Ran Wei.
Radiation treatment also has a bad effect on vaccination. I don't need a study to confirm that. My wife shows no antibodies after JJ and a Moderna booster. 2 time breast cancer survivor. She now takes 350mg of Sutherlandia a day and a prescribed dose of calcidiol. Both recommended and prescribed by her oncologist.