PADUCAH (WSIL) --聽Cancer patients over age 18 are among those encouraged to get an additional dose聽of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Recommendations for a third dose include:
- Patients currently receiving active cancer treatment for solid tumor cancers and for blood cancers.
- Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency conditions (such as DiGeorge syndrome or Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome).
- Patients who have had a stem cell transplant or CAR-T therapy within the last two years.
- Those who have received cancer therapy within 1-year of the initial vaccine administration. 聽
- Advanced or untreated HIV infection.
- Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress your immune system.
鈥淐ancer patients who are immunocompromised because of their blood cancer, or due to treatment that may impair the body鈥檚 ability to fight infections, should have an additional dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine,鈥� said Winston Chua, MD, Baptist Health Medical Group Hematology & Oncology. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 because these patients may have had a weakened antibody response to the first two doses, which means less protection. Patients who received the one-shot series with the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine are not currently included in the recommendations while we await further information from the CDC and FDA. Other adult cancer patients receiving active treatment or with a history of cancer are eligible to receive a booster shot.鈥�
Dr. Chua strongly suggests that patients talk with their healthcare provider about whether an additional dose will be beneficial. For those with weakened immune systems, the additional dose can be given 28 days or later after completing the initial vaccine series. (That's at least 28 days from the second dose of mRNA vaccine).
At this time, those who receive this third聽or "additional" dose are not recommended to get a booster shot in addition to the third dose. Anyone who has had three doses of the vaccine should not get a fourth dose. The CDC and FDA will communicate any new recommendations once further information is available.
Booster shots
Adult patients with other types of cancer who have had the two-dose Pfizer vaccine series at least six months ago are eligible to receive a booster shot for greater protection. Boosters are not approved for anyone under age 18.
A booster shot is recommended for those age 18+ with certain 鈥渦nderlying medical conditions.鈥� Booster doses are recommended for patients with certain "underlying medical conditions" because studies have shown that protection against COVID-19 following vaccination, particularly the highly contagious delta variant, begins to wane over time.
According to the CDC, having a history of cancer is among those underlying medical conditions. Patients treated for cancer 鈥� either now or in the past 鈥� are among those eligible for the booster dose.
Booster shots have been approved only for the Pfizer vaccine. Those who received the Moderna or J & J vaccines are not eligible for a booster dose at this time.聽 Moderna has submitted its application to the FDA for a booster shot while J & J has not yet applied. People should stick with the vaccine that they initially received and not mix vaccines.
Cancer patients who have not yet been vaccinated should talk to their healthcare provider about the need for the shot and its safety, as well as the best timing.
