COVID-19 vaccination and breakthrough infections in patients with cancer.

BACKGROUND: Vaccination is an important preventive health measure to protect against symptomatic and severe COVID-19. Impaired immunity secondary to an underlying malignancy or recent receipt of antineoplastic systemic therapies can result in less robust antibody titers following vaccination and possible risk of breakthrough infection. As clinical trials evaluating COVID-19 vaccines largely excluded patients with a history of cancer and those on active immunosuppression (including chemotherapy), limited evidence is available to inform the clinical efficacy of COVID-19 vaccination across the spectrum of patients with cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We describe the clinical features of patients with cancer who developed symptomatic COVID-19 following vaccination and compare weighted outcomes with those of contemporary unvaccinated patients, after adjustment for confounders, using data from the multi-institutional COVID-19 and Cancer Consortium (CCC19). RESULTS: Patients with cancer who develop COVID-19 following vaccination have substantial comorbidities and can present with severe and even lethal infection. Patients harboring hematologic malignancies are over-represented among vaccinated patients with cancer who develop symptomatic COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: Vaccination against COVID-19 remains an essential strategy in protecting vulnerable populations, including patients with cancer. Patients with cancer who develop breakthrough infection despite full vaccination, however, remain at risk of severe outcomes. A multilayered public health mitigation approach that includes vaccination of close contacts, boosters, social distancing, and mask-wearing should be continued for the foreseeable future.

Long-term follow-up of informal caregivers after allo-SCT: a systematic review.

Currently, more than 40000 patients undergo allogeneic hematopoietic SCT (HSCT) annually throughout the world, and the numbers are increasing rapidly. Long-term survival after allogeneic-HSCT (allo-HSCT) has also improved significantly since its inception over 40 years ago due to improved supportive care and early recognition of long-term complications. In long-term follow-up after transplantation, the focus of care moves beyond cure of the original disease to late effects and quality of life. Nearly one-fourth of the long-term survivors are likely to have chronic consequences of HSCT, which require frequent help by caregivers, particularly informal caregivers such as spouses, partners or children. The physical and psychosocial consequences for patients undergoing HSCT have been extensively reported. There has, however, been far less investigation into the long-term follow-up of caregivers of HSCT recipients. This article provides an overview on addressing caregiver issues after HSCT. The rapidly growing population of long-term HSCT survivors creates an obligation not only to educate patients and physicians about the late complications observed in patients but also to follow up caregivers for their psychosocial support needs.