Cancer patients can take Covid jab: Doctors

Begumpet: Cancer patients too can take Covid-19 vaccine, but under medical supervision, specialists said ahead of the World Cancer Day on February 4. Though a few patients with cancer were included in the vaccine trials, they said that going by various studies, vaccines look safe for them.

"The efficacy and duration of immunity in cancer patients are still unknown and unexplored. Given the often-immune compromised status and the frailty of cancer patients, it is suggested to monitor in the context of registries and dedicated clinical trials.

Close surveillance and monitoring of the patients is required after Covid-19 vaccination to assess the potential adverse events and measure clinical outcomes, like infection, severity and mortality, from Covid-19, complications from cancer ," Ajay Chanakya Vallabhaneni, consultant surgical oncologist and robotic surgeon, KIMS Hospitals.

"Patients with cancer are particularly vulnerable to Covid-19 because of the immune compromising nature of cancer treatment. On top of that, progressing cancer itself depletes the immune system and leaves patients susceptible to infection. Admittedly, very few patients, with active cancer or in active therapy, were included in the trials.

But assessment of studies available on vaccines, these look remarkably safe for cancer patients too," said Revanth Gangasani Reddy, consultant surgical oncology, Aware Global Hospitals.

According to AVS Suresh, senior consultant medical oncologist and haematologist, Continental Hospitals, although evidence regarding vaccination in patients with cancer is limited, there is enough proof to support anti-infective vaccination in general (excluding live-attenuated vaccines and replication-competent vector vaccines), even in patients with cancer undergoing immune suppressive therapy.

"Cancer cells progressing in a human body weakens the immune system and makes the patient vulnerable to infections. It is important that people with cancer and HIV are given priority and vaccinated at the earliest.

The government and the healthcare mechanisms should create a system where Covid-19 vaccine is administered on such highly susceptible cases on an urgent basis," said D Sridhar, consultant surgical oncology, SLG Hospitals.

The doctors are of the view that the timing of vaccination depends on individual therapy scenarios and may ideally occur before systemic therapy starts. But, if the patient has already started systemic therapy, it is reasonable to vaccinate him/her during therapy.

Physical distancing measures, masks, face shields, sanitisers and other hygiene measures are still required during the pandemic, including for patients with cancer, and should certainly accompany the vaccination strategies.