Thread by @TurajlicLab

2nd paper 📰📰 Vaccine Cohort 💉 We analysed vaccine responses in 585 patients with cancer after COVID-19 vaccination, measuring neutralising responses against the original SARS-CoV-2 and variants of concern (incl. Delta) and T cell responses (1/11)

After two doses of either Pfizer-BionTech or Oxford-AstraZeneca, 83% of infection-naïve patients with cancer developed antibodies against the original strain, but only 54% of those had neutralising antibodies against Delta (2/11)

Importantly, we show that while the proportion of patients with S1-reactive antibodies is concordant to patients with NAb against WT SARS-CoV-2 it can overestimate neutralising responses against variants of concern (3/11)

Patients with blood cancer were less likely to have neutralising antibodies against Delta than patients with solid cancer (31% blood cancer, 62% solid cancer). Apart from anti-CD20, cancer therapies did not negatively impact neutralising responses (4/11)

Following 2 vaccine doses, patients previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 had higher neutralising responses against Delta than those without previous infection. This lends support for boosters in patients with cancer, especially patients with blood cancers (5/11)

Patient age and vaccine type associated with neutralising responses independent of cancer type, suggesting that patient age and prior vaccine type can also guide prioritisation for booster doses (6/11)

79% of cancer patients had detectable T cell responses independent of cancer type incl. patients without NAb. T cells may offer a level of protection, in keeping with our finding that patients with blood cancer recovered from COVID-19, in the absence of NAb (7/11)

Our data highlight that patients with cancer, but ESPECIALLY blood cancers, should be prioritised for booster doses 💉🚨 Variants of concern, especially in times of high community transmission, pose an increased risk for patients with cancer (8/11)

Our data suggest that patients with cancer, but esp. blood cancer should continue to take precautions in high-risk situations. Simple public health measures, such as mask mandates on public transport & indoor spaces may help protect all vulnerable groups, and their carers (9/11)

Summary ✅Most cancer patients have functional immune responses to vaccine/after infection but some with blood cancer may not ✅3rd doses likely to be beneficial even against Delta ✅High community transmissions will impact the more vulnerable 😷😷😷(10/11)

Going forward, we are looking at breakthrough infections 🌡️and functional immune responses to 3rd dose vaccines 💉💉💉 & established the #InternationalCancerCOVID19Vaccine #ICCV consortium @VriesElisabeth @HaanenJohn @myESMO @ASCO @ASCOpost (11/11)