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Review
. 2021 Sep;17(26):3477-3484.
doi: 10.2217/fon-2021-0288. Epub 2021 Jun 30.

Indications for and contraindications of immune checkpoint inhibitors in cancer patients with COVID-19 vaccination

Bangyu Luo  1 , Jixi Li  1 , Xianhua Hou  2 , Qiao Yang  3 , Yi Zhou  1 , Jun Ye  4 , Xiaocheng Wu  5 , Yimei Feng  6 , Tianyu Hu  7 , Zhi Xu  8 , Ying He  9 , Jianguo Sun  1
Affiliations
Review

Indications for and contraindications of immune checkpoint inhibitors in cancer patients with COVID-19 vaccination

Bangyu Luo et al. Future Oncol. 2021 Sep.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has lasted over 1 year and will not disappear in a short time. There is no specific remedy against the virus as yet. Vaccination is thus far one of the most important strategies for preventing COVID-19. Cancer patients with COVID-19 have a higher mortality because of immunosuppression. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are a novel anticancer strategy for blocking inhibitory pathways, which are related to the immune response. There is a question regarding whether COVID-19 vaccination and ICI treatment impact each other in cancer patients. This review explores both sides of the relationship between ICI treatment and COVID-19 vaccination and suggests good efficacy and safety of ICI treatment after COVID-19 vaccination as well as little impact on the virus protection and toxicity associated with COVID-19 vaccination during ICI treatment.

Keywords: COVID-19; cancer; efficacy; immune checkpoint inhibitor; vaccination.

Plain language summary

Lay abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has lasted over 1 year. Vaccination is a promising strategy for preventing COVID-19. Cancer patients are prone to infection with COVID-19, and these patients have high mortality. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are a novel anticancer strategy. Whether COVID-19 vaccination and ICI treatment impact each other in cancer patients remains unknown. This review explores both sides of the relationship between ICI treatment and COVID-19 vaccination and suggests good efficacy and safety of ICI treatment after COVID-19 vaccination as well as little impact on the virus protection and toxicity associated with COVID-19 vaccination during ICI treatment.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. Treating cancer patients with immune checkpoint inhibitors may increase the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines.
ICI: Immune checkpoint inhibitor; COVID-19: Coronavirus disease 2019.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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