Compared to individuals without cancer, patients with a diagnosis of malignancy bear a higher risk of becoming infected with SARS-CoV‑2, suffer more frequently from disease-related complications, and are more likely to die due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Depending on the type of cancer and the treatment received, the immune response to vaccination may also be affected in patients with certain types of malignancy. Therefore, there is a need for more specific COVID-19 vaccination recommendations in individuals with a diagnosis of cancer. Furthermore, pre-exposition prophylaxis should be considered for some patients. This short review summarizes some challenges in prevention of (severe) COVID-19 in individuals with a diagnosis of cancer and compares guidelines given by the US National Comprehensive Cancer Network, German Robert Koch-Institut, and Austrian Nationales Impfgremium.
Keywords: COVID-19; Immune response; Malignancies; Monoclonal antibodies; Prophylaxis.
© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature 2023.