The confirmation from a study born from the collaboration between 13 Italian Research Institutes (IRCCS): cancer patients helped by the booster. For the category of haematological tumors the minor response is a fourth dose
The third dose of the anti Covid vaccine offered in Italy to all over 12 years of age. Highly protective, especially against the Omicron variant (now totally predominant in Italy) and essential for those who are fragile against a coronavirus infection.
And methods
The confirmation of the importance of the third dose (or booster) for some categories of patients, such as – specifically – those oncology, also comes from a study born from the collaboration between 13 Italian Research Institutes (IRCCS) and coordinated by Giovanni Apolone (Foundation IRCCS National Cancer Institute of Milan), Alberto Mantovani (Irccs Humanitas Clinical Institute, Milan) and Massimo Costantini (Irccs Foundation National Cancer Institute of Milan). The research, funded by the Ministry of Health, involved the observation of over 600 patients in 5 months and showed the importance of the third dose of vaccine to enhance the immunological response and reduce the risk of coronavirus infections and complications. The Vax4Frail study included 4 different types of frail patients and documented how the level of immunological, antibody and cellular response is influenced by the number of vaccine doses, the type of pathology and pharmacological treatment. The strengths of the Vax4Frail study were the inclusion of different pathologies, the use of a common protocol shared between the participants which provided for standardized criteria and a centralization of immunological assessments, conducted at the Spallanzani Irccs in Rome.
The differences between frail patients
The results of two articles produced by the group of researchers, in particular Chiara Agrati, Paolo Corradini, Nicola Silvestris and Maria Rescigno, in fact, suggest that this is particularly true in some diseases, including onco-haematological ones, i.e. patients who have received anticancer treatments with great impact on the immune system. After only two doses, the response level of frail patients by 62 percent, a lower percentage – in particular – in onco-haematological patients and in those with immune-degenerative diseases, and in any case lower than that observed in the healthy population. The third booster dose increases the immunological response in all patient groups, but unfortunately to a lesser extent in those with haematological tumors. Adds the scientific director of Humanitas, professor Alberto Mantovani: For fragile non-responsive patients, this research raises the problem of a fourth dose, to be evaluated in a rigorous research context and in relation to the treatment as some therapies interfere with correct immunization . The fourth dose is already in use for other vaccines, for example, for hepatitis B.
February 16, 2022 (change February 16, 2022 | 13:38)
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