Safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines in children and adolescents with cancer
Background. Children with cancer have a higher morbidity and mortality due to COVID-19. Vaccination of children with cancer is important. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effectiveness and side effects of the COVID-19 vaccines in children and adolescents with cancer. Methods. Fifty-eigh...
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Hacettepe University Institute of Child Health
2024-10-01
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| Series: | The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics |
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| Online Access: | https://turkjpediatr.org/article/view/4512 |
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| author | Nilgün Kurucu Tezer Kutluk İbrahim Kartal Şule Yeşil Özge Vural Oğuz S. Dinçer Mehmet Ceyhan |
| author_facet | Nilgün Kurucu Tezer Kutluk İbrahim Kartal Şule Yeşil Özge Vural Oğuz S. Dinçer Mehmet Ceyhan |
| author_sort | Nilgün Kurucu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Background. Children with cancer have a higher morbidity and mortality due to COVID-19. Vaccination of children with cancer is important. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effectiveness and side effects of the COVID-19 vaccines in children and adolescents with cancer.
Methods. Fifty-eight patients from four centers were included in the study. Antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein levels were measured. Vaccine-related complaints were recorded.
Results. There were 33 male and 25 female patients. The mean age was 16.9±2.3 years. In 58.6% of cases, the diagnosis was hematological malignancies. Twenty patients were currently under treatment, while 38 had completed the treatment. Forty-eight patients received chemotherapy ± radiotherapy, 13 received immunotherapy, and 3 underwent stem cell transplantation. CoronoVac© and BNT162b2© vaccines were administered in 24% and 76%, respectively. The mean antibody level was lower in patients who received CoronaVac© than that of BNT162b2©, although the difference was not significant. The levels were within the protective limits in both groups. No significant difference was found in antibody levels according to diagnostic subgroups, treatment status, type of treatment, line of treatment, disease status and time between vaccines and measurement of antibody level. The most common side effects were pain at the injection site (37.9%) and malaise/weakness (17.2%), which were similar for both vaccines.
Conclusions. Our study showed that both mRNA and inactivated vaccines elicit an immune response in children with cancer. However, the seroconversion rate is significantly higher in mRNA vaccines. Side effects were similar to those seen in healthy children.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-6f07aeb65a804d53b9fdc4e5a49ff9f8 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 0041-4301 2791-6421 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
| publisher | Hacettepe University Institute of Child Health |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics |
| spelling | doaj-art-6f07aeb65a804d53b9fdc4e5a49ff9f82025-08-20T02:17:46ZengHacettepe University Institute of Child HealthThe Turkish Journal of Pediatrics0041-43012791-64212024-10-0166410.24953/turkjpediatr.2024.4512Safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines in children and adolescents with cancerNilgün Kurucu0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8836-261XTezer Kutluk1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1918-4407İbrahim Kartal2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2772-9956Şule Yeşil3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2328-8612Özge Vural4https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7197-5866Oğuz S. Dinçer5https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0407-5635Mehmet Ceyhan6https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4530-0149Department of Pediatric Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and Institute of Cancer, Hacettepe University, Ankara, TürkiyeDepartment of Pediatric Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and Institute of Cancer, Hacettepe University, Ankara, TürkiyeDepartment of Pediatric Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun, TürkiyeDepartment of Pediatric Oncology, Ankara Dr. Sami Ulus Training and Research Hospital, Univeristy of Health Sciences, Ankara, TürkiyeDepartment of Pediatric Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, TürkiyeDepartment of Pediatric Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun, TürkiyeDepartment of Pediatric Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Türkiye Background. Children with cancer have a higher morbidity and mortality due to COVID-19. Vaccination of children with cancer is important. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effectiveness and side effects of the COVID-19 vaccines in children and adolescents with cancer. Methods. Fifty-eight patients from four centers were included in the study. Antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein levels were measured. Vaccine-related complaints were recorded. Results. There were 33 male and 25 female patients. The mean age was 16.9±2.3 years. In 58.6% of cases, the diagnosis was hematological malignancies. Twenty patients were currently under treatment, while 38 had completed the treatment. Forty-eight patients received chemotherapy ± radiotherapy, 13 received immunotherapy, and 3 underwent stem cell transplantation. CoronoVac© and BNT162b2© vaccines were administered in 24% and 76%, respectively. The mean antibody level was lower in patients who received CoronaVac© than that of BNT162b2©, although the difference was not significant. The levels were within the protective limits in both groups. No significant difference was found in antibody levels according to diagnostic subgroups, treatment status, type of treatment, line of treatment, disease status and time between vaccines and measurement of antibody level. The most common side effects were pain at the injection site (37.9%) and malaise/weakness (17.2%), which were similar for both vaccines. Conclusions. Our study showed that both mRNA and inactivated vaccines elicit an immune response in children with cancer. However, the seroconversion rate is significantly higher in mRNA vaccines. Side effects were similar to those seen in healthy children. https://turkjpediatr.org/article/view/4512cancerCOVID-19vaccinesimmunization |
| spellingShingle | Nilgün Kurucu Tezer Kutluk İbrahim Kartal Şule Yeşil Özge Vural Oğuz S. Dinçer Mehmet Ceyhan Safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines in children and adolescents with cancer The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics cancer COVID-19 vaccines immunization |
| title | Safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines in children and adolescents with cancer |
| title_full | Safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines in children and adolescents with cancer |
| title_fullStr | Safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines in children and adolescents with cancer |
| title_full_unstemmed | Safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines in children and adolescents with cancer |
| title_short | Safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines in children and adolescents with cancer |
| title_sort | safety and efficacy of covid 19 vaccines in children and adolescents with cancer |
| topic | cancer COVID-19 vaccines immunization |
| url | https://turkjpediatr.org/article/view/4512 |
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