Jakarta, CNN Indonesia —
An internal medicine specialist and consultant hematologist oncology from the University of Indonesia and part of the Indonesian Association of Internal Medicine Specialists (PAPDI, Jeffry Beta Tenggara, revealed that people with cancer, including breast cancer, are not prohibited from receiving vaccine injections). Covid-19.
“Actually, currently cancer patients are not prohibited from being vaccinated,” said Jeffry as quoted by Antara.
However, before getting the vaccine, cancer patients are expected to consult a doctor to prevent unwanted things.
PAPDI previously provided recommendations regarding the covid vaccine for cancer patients, especially those aged 18-59 years with solid cancer, which basically deserves the vaccine, but it needs to be determined by an expert doctor. Patients over the age of 60 are also eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine if they meet general recommendations.
This is done because the condition of each patient is different. Therefore, consultation and doctor’s recommendations are needed before receiving the vaccine.
Regarding the effectiveness of the vaccine in cancer patients, a new study will be conducted in Indonesia in January. Jeffry said this research will focus on the effectiveness of the vaccine in patients with comorbidities, one of which is cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.
A study at the University of Arizona Health Sciences found that patients undergoing chemotherapy had a lower immune response to two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, only that the third dose increased response.
The study involved observing 53 cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy-like treatment to compare the immune response after the first and second doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in 50 healthy adults.
Quoted from Medical Xpress, the results of the study showed that most cancer patients had antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 after two doses of the vaccine. It’s just that the immune response is lower than healthy people. In addition, some patients also did not show a response to the COVID-19 vaccine. This means less protection against SARS-CoV-2, especially the delta variant.
After that, as many as 20 patients received a third injection and this increased the immune response in most of them. The overall immune response rate after the third injection was the same as for those who did not undergo chemotherapy after two doses.
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