Pediatric cancer patients vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2—a clinical and laboratory follow-up

Abstract: Background
Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 is recommended for cancer patients. However, long-term data on the effectiveness in the pediatric setting are lacking.

Methods
Pediatric patients < 18 years on active treatment for cancer and without prior SARS-CoV-2 infection received three doses of an mRNA vaccine. The clinical course and humoral and cellular immunity were evaluated at the end of the follow-up period of ≥ 1 year after the third dose of vaccine.

Results
SARS-CoV-2 infection occurred in 17 of 19 analyzed patients (median age 16.5 years) during the follow-up period (median 17 months), but no severe symptoms were seen. At ≥ 1 year after the last SARS-CoV-2 antigen exposure, 4 of 17 patients had received the recommended booster vaccine. At the end of the follow-up period, all evaluable 15 patients had anti-SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain IgG antibodies. Twelve of the 15 patients had neutralizing antibody titers ≥ 1:10 against the Delta variant and 12/15 and 13/15 against the BA.1 and BA.5 variants, respectively. Specific T cells against SARS-CoV-2 antigens were seen in 9/13 patients.

Conclusions
Most SARS-CoV-2-vaccinated pediatric cancer patients had SARS-CoV-2 infections and limited interest in booster vaccination. At 1 year after the last antigen exposure, which was mostly an infection, humoral immune responses remained strong

Object Details

• Location: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
• Extent: Online-Ressource
• Language: Englisch
• Notes: Supportive care in cancer. - 32, 4 (2024) , 221, ISSN: 1433-7339

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (where): Freiburg
• (who): Universität
• (when): 2024
• Creator: Siebald, Benjamin Florian ; Groll, Andreas ; Salou, Sarah ; Boldt, Andreas ; Seiffert, Sabine ; Sack, Ulrich ; Reemtsma, Judith ; Jassoy, Christian ; Klusmann, Jan-Henning ; Ciesek, Sandra ; Hoehl, Sebastian ; Lehrnbecher, Thomas

Further information

• DOI: 10.1007/s00520-024-08422-5
• URN: urn:nbn:de:bsz:25-freidok-2473163
• Rights: Open Access; Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.
• Last update: 14.08.2025, 10:45 AM CEST