March 29, 2024

Unexpected Result: COVID-19 Vaccination Improves Effectiveness of Cancer Treatment

Numerous cancer cells can overturning the bodys immune action. They do this by pressing a kind of button on the immune cells, the PD-1 receptor. In this way, they effectively shut down these endogenous defense forces. Drugs can be used to block PD-1 receptors. This makes it possible for the body immune system to fight the tumor better.
Vaccination versus COVID likewise stimulates the immune reaction, involving the PD-1 receptor. “It was feared that the vaccine would not be compatible with anti-PD-1 treatment,” discusses Dr. Jian Li of the Institute of Molecular Medicine and Experimental Immunology (IMMEI) at the University Hospital Bonn. “This threat is particularly real for nasopharyngeal cancer, which, like the SARS Cov-2 infection, impacts the upper breathing system.”
Together with cooperation partners from the Peoples Republic of China, the bioinformatician has now examined whether this concern is justified. More than 1,500 clients treated in 23 hospitals from all over China got involved in the analysis. Such multi-center studies are thought about to be especially helpful since the participants are really diverse and, additionally, the results are not misshaped by local attributes.
Vaccinated patients responded much better to cancer therapy
A subset of 373 impacted people had actually been immunized with the Chinese COVID-19 vaccine SinoVac. “Surprisingly, they responded significantly much better to anti-PD-1 treatment than the unvaccinated clients,” discusses Prof. Dr. Christian Kurts, Director of IMMEI and member of the Transdisciplinary Research Area “Life & & Health” and the Cluster of Excellence ImmunoSensation. “Furthermore, they did not experience extreme adverse effects regularly.” The scientists can not say why the treatment was more successful after vaccination. “We assume that vaccination activates particular immune cells, which then assault the growth,” states Prof. Dr. Qi Mei of Shanxi University Hospital. “We will now investigate this hypothesis even more.”
Nasopharyngeal cancer is quite uncommon in this nation. In Taiwan, nasopharyngeal cancer is now considered one of the leading causes of death amongst young guys.
Reference: “Potentially enhanced action of COVID-19 immunized nasopharyngeal cancer patients to mix treatment with anti-PD-1 blockade and chemotherapy” by Y.J. Hua, Y.L. Liu, K. Wen, C. Kurts, H. Wu, Q. Mei and J. Li, Annals of Oncology.DOI: 10.1016/ j.annonc.2022.10.002.
Participating organizations and funding:.
In addition to the University of Bonn and the University Hospital, Shanxi Medical University and Tongji Medical College were included in the work. The scientists also teamed up with a variety of clinics throughout China. The research study was moneyed by the Sino-German Center for Research Promotion (SGC), the DFG Cluster of Excellence ImmunoSensation ², and the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

are a common condition in countries in Southeast Asia. However, issues that the therapy might communicate unfavorably with Covid vaccination seem unfounded. Credit: Y.J. Hua/ Sun Yat-sen University Cancer
Clinical study on nasopharyngeal cancer with an unanticipated outcome.
Clients with nasopharyngeal cancer are typically treated with drugs that activate their body immune system against the growth. Scientists feared that vaccination against COVID-19 might reduce the success of cancer treatment or cause serious adverse effects– previously. A current research study now provides the all-clear in this regard. According to the study, the cancer drugs actually worked much better after vaccination with the Chinese vaccine SinoVac than in unvaccinated clients.
The results of the research study, which was conducted by the Universities of Bonn and Shanxi in the Peoples Republic of China, are released as a “Letter to the editor” in the journal Annals of Oncology, but are currently offered online.

Nasopharyngeal cancer is an illness in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the nasopharynx. The nasopharynx is the upper part of the throat behind the nose. An opening on each side of the nasopharynx leads into the ear.

Credit: Y.J. Hua/ Sun Yat-sen University Cancer
Patients with nasopharyngeal cancer are often treated with drugs that activate their immune system versus the tumor. Scientists feared that vaccination against COVID-19 could minimize the success of cancer treatment or trigger serious side results– up until now. According to the study, the cancer drugs actually worked much better after vaccination with the Chinese vaccine SinoVac than in unvaccinated patients.
Nasopharyngeal cancer is a disease in which deadly (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the nasopharynx.