Cancer Patients and Survivors: The COVID-19 Vaccine Is Important for You
As a cancer patient, you听尘补测听have concerns听补产辞耻迟听迟丑别听safety of听the COVID-19 vaccine.听You听even听may听question听whether you need听it.听For most听cancer patients,听the question听is not听whether听to听take the vaccine听but听when.听It鈥檚 best to听make this decision听with your听physician鈥s guidance. In the meantime,听here is what you听need to听know.听听
Understanding the COVID-19 vaccines
The听three听COVID-19听vaccines that are currently available听(Pfizer听BioEnTech,听Moderna, Johnson听&听Johnson),听are听all听equally听safe.听Because they do not contain the live coronavirus, they cannot give you COVID-19, according to Kristen Marks, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine at 五月天视频.听
Only in very rare cases have people experienced serious allergic reactions听to the vaccine, and these have generally occurred in individuals with a history of serious allergic reactions.听So, as long as you are not allergic to any of 迟丑别听vaccine鈥檚听ingredients, and as long as听none of听迟丑别听ingredients interact negatively with听any of your听medications听or听treatment regimens, then you can safely take听it.听In fact,听because people with cancer听are at听increased risk for severe COVID-19,听the Centers for Disease Control urges听them,听as well as听cancer survivors,听to get vaccinated.听
鈥We know from very large studies that there were no serious events attributed to the vaccine,鈥 Dr. Marks says.听鈥Because the risk of COVID-19听is so high,听concern about an extremely rare side effect shouldn't prevent people from getting the vaccine now.鈥听听
All of the vaccines are highly effective, too.听You may have heard that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is less effective than the other two,听but when it comes to听preventing听severe COVID-19听and resulting complications--which听are听particularly dangerous for听people with听cancer--all three vaccines do the job equally well.听They all听significantly decrease your risk of becoming听acutely ill from the virus and being hospitalized or dying from it. 鈥泪n studies, the vaccine nearly eliminated severe infections that required people to need oxygen or be hospitalized,鈥 Dr. Marks says.听This is听especially听important for cancer听patients,听especially those听whose treatment may have听weakened听their听immune systems.听
Assessing the side effects of the COVID-19 Vaccine
Researchers听do not yet have data on the听vaccines鈥櫶actual听effectiveness听in people with cancer, including those who are undergoing treatment. It is likely, however, that听the type of cancer you have will听affect the听vaccine鈥檚听efficacy,听Dr. Marks says.听Moreover, chemotherapy, radiation, stem cell or bone marrow transplantation,听CAR T-cell therapy,听immunotherapy, or听any听other treatment that can affect听your听immune system听may make the vaccine less effective.听This does not mean that you should听skip听vaccination. As Dr. Marks emphasizes,听鈥淭he benefits of the vaccine far outweigh the risks.鈥听听
You should听also听know听that听these听cancer听treatments听may compromise your body鈥檚 ability to tolerate the vaccine鈥檚 side effects.听鈥淭he vaccine can cause fever, body aches, headaches, or fatigue, and you have to be able to tolerate these sorts of things to have the best chance of responding to it,鈥澨Dr. Marks听notes.听It is important, therefore,听to听speak with听your听doctor听about听the best time for you to take the vaccine, especially if you are about to undergo surgery,听so听that听you can avoid听side effects delaying听your procedure.听鈥There might be an optimal time within your treatment cycle to take the vaccine to have the best chance of responding to it,鈥 Dr. Marks听adds. 鈥If you're very ill with your cancer, it might not be the right time to get the vaccine.鈥听
Every听cancer听patient听is different听and will react differently to the COVID-19 vaccine,听which is why听consulting听your doctor听is critical.听鈥泪鈥檓听very encouraged about where we are听with all this,鈥 Dr. Marks says.听鈥It's pretty staggering how well听the vaccine听works. I want people to be optimistic and excited to get听it.鈥听
Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine appointments are available to our patients.听Sign up for Connect today听to schedule your vaccination. Review the latest on听COVID-19 vaccines.