Cancer patients have a higher risk of contracting COVID-19 than ordinary people. This is because cancer patients have an imperfect immune system.
Reporting from the journal NCCN COVID-19 Vaccination Guide for People with Cancer, cancer patients have a weak immune system, so their bodies are less able to fight disease and infection, including the SARS-Cov-2 virus that causes COVID-19.
Cancer patients also have a higher risk of experiencing severity, hospitalization and death from COVID-19. The NCCN COVID-19 Vaccination Guide for People with Cancer states that one of the causes is the patient’s inadequate immune condition due to cancer or a side effect of cancer therapy.
The way that can be done to improve the immune system of cancer patients is through immunization. Effective immunization must induce long-term stimulation of both the humoral and cellular immune systems.
Such immunization must also be mediated by an adaptive system by producing effector cells for current infection as well as memory cells for future infection by pathogenic agents.
The immune system, both innate and adaptive, can be triggered by administering vaccines. Reporting from the journal Clem AS. Fundamentals of vaccine immunology, each type of vaccine has advantages and disadvantages that can affect the stimulation of the immune system thereby limiting the usefulness of this type of vaccine.
Recovery research released by Linardou et. al said there were differences in the body’s response to the vaccines given to the two groups, namely the cancer patient group and the healthy group (controls) where the immune response of the cancer patients was lower to the vaccine.
“Given these facts, there is a group of cancer patients who are at risk of not getting the same optimal protection as healthy people, even after administration of the vaccine. So for this group of patients, passive immunization in the form of monoclonal antibodies can be an option as extra protection,” said the Internal Medicine Specialist. Consultant Hemato-Oncologist Dr. Jeffry Beta Tenggara, Sp.PD-KHOM in a written statement, Wednesday (21/12/2022).
But keep in mind, the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine will decrease in individuals with impaired immune system function, one of which is a cancer patient. Therefore, cancer patients need additional options to get optimal protection against COVID-19.
“In addition to vaccines and monoclonal antibodies, cancer patients are also encouraged to continue implementing the 3M health protocol, namely keeping a safe distance, washing hands, and using masks. If needed, CISC is also always present to provide support and provide information regarding cancer patients in protecting themselves from COVID-19. 19,” said Founder and Chair of the Cancer Information and Support Center (CISC), Aryanthi Baramuli Putri.
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