Among 38 patients with B-cell blood cancers, 21 (55 percent) produced antibodies after receiving a booster dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine despite not producing detectable antibodies after the first two doses, according to a recent study led by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
The research, published Sept. 6 in Cancer Cell, involved 49 patients with B-cell malignancies, including 25 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and 18 patients with non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. A total of 38 patients were seronegative before receiving the booster dose, while 7 patients had low levels of antibodies and four had a normal antibody response.
After receiving the booster dose, 21 (55 percent) of the patients who were seronegative after receiving the first two vaccine doses had detectable antibodies. Researchers also found the third dose boosted antibody levels among the 11 patients who had low to normal levels after the first two shots.
"The additional COVID-19 vaccine dose appears to be improving immune response in many people with blood cancer — one of many conditions that can suppress a person's immune system," said Gwen Nichols, MD, chief medical officer at the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. "However, while vaccination offers protection to the majority of blood cancer patients, some will not mount a full antibody response even with this additional dose."
Still, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society estimates at least 100,000 blood cancer patients in the U.S. will not have detectable antibodies after receiving a booster dose based on the results of recent studies.
The organization recommends blood cancer patients maintain additional safety measures such as wearing a mask and social distancing, regardless of vaccination status.