COVID-19 Vaccines and Immunosuppressed Patients With Cancer: Critical Considerations

Patients with cancer are highly vulnerable to COVID-19 because of immunosuppression from diseases and treatments. Emerging data characterize the impact of COVID-19 vaccines related to cancer malignancies and treatments. This article provides a clinical foundation on the immune response to the COVID-19 vaccine associated with the impact of cancer and its related treatments. It reviews strategies for vaccine scheduling, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations, and nursing considerations when administering the vaccine to immunosuppressed patients. Research studies about immune responses to COVID-19 vaccines among immunosuppressed patients with hematologic and solid tumor malignancies were summarized. Studies about the humoral immune responses of patients with cancer to COVID-19 vaccines help guide vaccination planning for this population. Critical nursing considerations for patients with cancer receiving COVID-19 vaccination are integral to the provision of optimal clinical oncology care during the pandemic.