Efficacy and Safety of SARS-COV-2 Vaccines in Breast Cancer Patients

Abstract Background Breast cancer (BC) is a major public health problem. COVID-19 pandemic impacted all areas of daily life, including medical care. In particular, delivering care for patients with cancer or suspected cancer during the crisis was challenging given the competing risks of death from untreated cancer versus serious complications from SARS- CoV-2, and the likely higher lethality of COVID-19 in immunocompromised patients. Aim of the Work This study aims to assess the efficacy and immunogenicity of SARS COV 2 vaccines in breast cancer patients by evaluating anti spike antibodies in vaccinated and non vaccinated patients and also through assessing the infection with covid after vaccination (in vaccinated patients) and in non vaccinated patients. The study also aims to assess the Safety of SARS COV 2 vaccine in breast Cancer patients (local and systemic Toxicity). Patients and Methods Our population consisted of 120 female patients diagnosed with early and locally advanced breast cancer, in the breast cancer unit, Clinical oncology department, Ain Shams University Hospitals. All on systemic therapy (on neoadjuvant or adjuvant treatment). Sixty vaccinated and 60 unvaccinated against COVID-19. The cutoff value of SARS COV-2 antibody is 50 BAL/mL (>/= 50 seropositive, <50 seronegative) Results Out of 120 patients, Anti-SARS COV-2 Antibody seropositivity was found to be 48 vs. 58 pts (80% vs. 96.7%) in non vaccinated Vs. Vaccinated patients, with a P-value=0.0046), which was statistically significant. The median titre in both groups was found to be 1434.5 vs. 2500, (P = 0.0026). In the 120 patients, 26 patients had covid infection with a significant difference, Non vaccinated Vs. Vaccinated: 21 vs. 5 pts (35% vs. 8.3 %, P = 0.0004). In the sixty vaccinated patients, mild local adverse events were reported such as warmness at site of injection in 17 patients, representing (28.3%) of patients, Pain 11 (18.3%), Swelling 11 (18.3%), Itch 8 (13.3%), and Redness 6 (60%) representing the least adverse event. The patients experienced mild systemic adverse events, the highest incidence was Fatigue 28 (46.7%), then Myalgia/arthralgia 17(28.3%), headache 2 (3.3%),and fever 16 (26.7%). Conclusion Anti SARS COV2 are effective and safe in localized breast cancer patients on systemic therapy.