Can Breast Cancer Patients Be Vaccinated?

Stage four cancer patients have lower immunity.

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — October is breast cancer awareness month. It is worth understanding some facts about the Covid-19 vaccination for breast cancer patients as there is still little doubt among cancer patients and concerns about the side effects.

Surgeon Oncology of the Vizag HCG Cancer Center, Dr Raghu Vamsi, said breast cancer sufferers can get the Covid-19 vaccine. According to him, breast cancer treatment does not affect vaccination.

“It can be vaccinated, even before cancer treatment starts, patients can get the vaccine,” Vamsi said Mumbailive on Sunday (10/10).

Vemsi explained that patients undergoing radiotherapy can get vaccine injections at any time during treatment without any obstacles. “Chemotherapy patients can plan their injections between cycles, preferably about two weeks from the last in the triweekly protocol so that blood counts are normal or near normal at the time of vaccination,” says Vemsi.

Vamsi said those who had just recovered from Covid-19 could wait up to three months before testing for antibodies and getting vaccinated. This also applies to breast cancer patients.

“There are no such contraindications, they can take the vaccine just like any other individual,” Vemsi said.

In addition, Vemsi asks breast cancer sufferers to plan vaccine injections five to seven days before the scheduled date of surgery. Because, he admits they may experience some mild side effects that may be bothersome.

“If surgery is planned immediately, take your vaccine a few weeks after surgery when you have fully recovered from the procedure,” says Vemsi.

Vemsi denied that the Covid-19 vaccination could cause the spread of cancer to the lymph nodes. He said there was no evidence the Covid-19 vaccine caused the spread of cancer or the development of lymph nodes.

“There were one or two cases of patients developing axillary lymph nodes post-vaccination, which were unrelated events and did not cause a difference in identifying positive lymph nodes,” explains Vemsi.

Vemsi recommends that the vaccine injection be done on the side opposite the side affected by breast cancer. This will prevent concerns about lymphedema or the axillary lymph nodes on the side of the breast cancer.

He says not all cancer patients are the same. Stage four cancer patients have lower immunity than patients with early stage breast cancer. “These patients should consult their oncologist and take the vaccine under guidance. Feel free to get vaccinated,” says Vemsi.

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