Medical Oncology Group of Australia position statement: COVID-19 vaccination in patients with solid tumours

Yada Kanjanapan; Prunella Blinman; Craig Underhill; Deme Karikios; Eva Segelov; Desmond Yip

doi:10.1111/imj.15339

Medical Oncology Group of Australia position statement: COVID-19 vaccination in patients with solid tumours

Intern Med J. 2021 Jun;51(6):955-959. doi: 10.1111/imj.15339.

Authors

Yada Kanjanapan^{1

2}, Prunella Blinman^{3

4}, Craig Underhill^{5

6}, Deme Karikios^{4

7}, Eva Segelov^{8

9}, Desmond Yip^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Medical Oncology, The Canberra Hospital, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
² ANU Medical School, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
³ Department of Medical Oncology, Concord Repatriation General Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
⁴ Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
⁵ Border Medical Oncology, Albury-Wodonga Health, Albury, New South Wales, Australia.
⁶ University of NSW Rural Medical School, Albury, New South Wales, Australia.
⁷ Medical Oncology, Nepean Cancer Care Centre, Nepean Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
⁸ Department of Oncology, Monash Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
⁹ School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Abstract

People with cancer are vulnerable to increased morbidity and mortality from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). COVID-19 vaccination is key to protecting the population of people with cancer from adverse outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The Medical Oncology Group of Australia aimed to address the considerations around COVID-19 vaccination in people with cancer, in particular, safety and efficacy of vaccination. The assessment of patients with generalised allergic reaction to anti-cancer therapy containing vaccine components and practical implementation of vaccination of people on active anti-cancer therapy are also discussed.

Keywords: COVID-19; cancer; immunosuppression; vaccination.

MeSH terms

Australia / epidemiology
COVID-19 Vaccines
COVID-19*
Humans
Medical Oncology
Neoplasms* / epidemiology
Neoplasms* / therapy
SARS-CoV-2
Vaccination

Substances

COVID-19 Vaccines