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. 2022 Dec 26;15(1):137.
doi: 10.3390/cancers15010137.

Immune Response and Effects of COVID-19 Vaccination in Patients with Lung Cancer-COVID Lung Vaccine Study

Ainhoa Hernandez  1 , Marc Boigues  2   3 , Eudald Felip  1 , Marc Cucurull  1 , Lucia Notario  1 , Anna Pous  1 , Pere Torres  4 , Marta Benitez  4 , Marina Rodriguez  4 , Bibiana Quirant  2   3 , Margarita Romeo  1 , Daniel Fuster  5   6 , Teresa Moran  1   6
Affiliations

Immune Response and Effects of COVID-19 Vaccination in Patients with Lung Cancer-COVID Lung Vaccine Study

Ainhoa Hernandez et al. Cancers (Basel). .

Abstract

Lung cancer patients represent a subgroup of special vulnerability in whom the SARS-CoV-2 infection could attain higher rates of morbidity and mortality. Therefore, those patients were recommended to receive SARS-CoV-2 vaccines once they were approved. However, little was known at that time regarding the degree of immunity developed after vaccination or vaccine-related adverse events, and more uncertainty involved the real need for a third dose. We sought to evaluate the immune response developed after vaccination, as well as the safety and efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in a cohort of patients with lung cancer. Patients were identified through the Oncology/Hematology Outpatient Vaccination Program. Anti-Spike IgG was measured before any vaccine and at 3-6-, 6-9- and 12-15-month time points after the 2nd dose. Detailed clinical data were also collected. In total, 126 patients with lung cancer participated and received at least one dose of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. At 3-6 months after 2nd dose, 99.1% of baseline seronegative patients seroconverted and anti-Spike IgG titers went from a median value of 9.45 to 720 UI/mL. At the 6-9-month time point, titers raised to a median value of 924 UI/mL, and at 12-15 months, after the boost dose, they reached a median value of 3064 UI/mL. Adverse events to the vaccine were mild, and no SARS- CoV-2 infection-related deaths were recorded. In this lung cancer cohort, COVID-19 vaccines were safe and effective irrespective of the systemic anticancer therapy. Most of the patients developed anti-Spike IgG after the second dose, and these titers were maintained over time with low infection and reinfection rates with a mild clinical course.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; anti-spike antibodies; lung cancer; vaccination immune response.

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Conflict of interest statement

Hernandez declares speaker bureau fees from Roche and Bristol, Research funding from Janssen, and travel/educational fees from Roche and Sanofi. Felip declares consulting/advisory role fees from Novartis, travel/education fees from Lilly, Novartis, and Pfizer, and a research grant from Pfizer. Cucurull declares travel/educational fees from Pharmar, Roche, Takeda, Lilly y MSD. Romeo declares consulting/advisory role fees from GSK, and MSD, speaker bureau fees from Astra Zeneca, Clovis, and GSK, and a research grant from Astra Zeneca, Clovis, Pfizer, and GSK. Moran declares consulting/advisory role fees from Roche, Bristol Myers, Boeringher, Astra Zeneca, and Lilly and research funding from Kyowa Kirin and Janssen. All remaining authors have declared no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Effect of COVID-19 vaccination in lung cancer patients: COVID Lung Vaccine Study Scheme and patient disposition. Legend: AEs: adverse events; IgG, Immunoglobulin G; n, number of patients; PCR, polymerase chain reaction.
Figure 2
Figure 2
(A). Anti-spike antibodies titers in a cohort of 126 patients with lung cancer. (B). Anti-spike antibodies in the subgroup of 19 patients with lung cancer aged ≥75. (baseline samples were evaluable from 122 and 19 patients from groups A and B, respectively). Legend: m, months.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Anti-spike antibodies titers disposition according to type of anticancer therapy in a cohort of 126 patients with lung cancer (baseline samples were evaluable from 122 patients). (A). Anti-spike antibodies in 29 patients receiving ChT; (B). Anti-spike antibodies in 17 patients receiving ChTIT; (C). Anti-spike antibodies in 42 patients receiving IT; (D). Anti-spike antibodies in 24 patients receiving TKI; (E). Anti-spike antibodies titers in 10 patients on surveillance *; Legend: ChT, chemotherapy; IT, immunotherapy; m, months; p, patients; RT, radiotherapy; TKI, tyrosine kinase inhibitor. * This group includes 9 patients on active surveillance and 1 patient receiving lantreotide.
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