People in active treatment for cancer can be at greater risk of severe infection from COVID-19. We keep track of articles and studies that can inform your work related to COVID-19, vaccine promotion, and the effects on patients with cancer. See below for a few recent highlights:
| COVID-19: Native Americans are vaccinated at the highest rate in the U.S. (COLORLINES)Native communities have been among those hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now American Indians and Native Alaskans are getting vaccinated at the highest rates in the country. SARS-CoV-2 variants in patients with immunosuppression (The New England Journal of Medicine) This article discusses how emerging variants of the coronavirus may affect people with suppressed immune systems, such as patients with cancer. Some blood cancer patients do not produce detectable antibodies to the COVID-19 vaccine (Leukemia and Lymphoma Society) LLS recently released the findings from the largest study to date of blood cancer patients and the COVID-19 vaccine and antibody response. Highly variable SARS-CoV-2 spike antibody responses to two doses of COVID-19 RNA vaccination in patients with multiple myeloma (Cancer Cell)Patients with multiple myeloma mounted suboptimal and variable antibody responses to the messenger RNA COVID-19 vaccines. Assessment of Prostate Cancer Treatment Among Black and White Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic (JAMA Oncology)Black patients experienced a disproportionate lower rate of prostate cancer surgeries compared to white men after the pandemic began. Rapid real-world data analysis of patients with cancer, with and without COVID-19, across distinct health systems (Cancer Reports) New research, using real-world data from two Midwest hospital systems, shows patients with cancer are more likely to have severe COVID-19-related complications and are more likely not to survive. The study finds a higher risk of COVID-19 complications and death based on the severity of cancer, race, age, and socioeconomic status. State Cancer Registries Study COVID-19 in Patients and Survivors (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Learn how two state cancer registries were able to match data for people who have cancer with data for people testing positive for COVID-19. Their findings can help us better understand how COVID-19 is affecting people with cancer, and can help us address the needs of people with cancer both during and after the pandemic. |
| View more on our COVID-19 and Cancer resource page. |