A comparative study of the COVID-19 vaccine efficacy among cancer patients: mRNA versus non-mRNA

PLoS One. 2023 Mar 1;18(3):e0281907. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0281907. eCollection 2023.

Abstract

Background: Cancer patients have an increased risk of a severe COVID-19 infection with higher mortality rate. This study aimed to analyze the levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 S-RBD IgG and NAB among cancer patients who were vaccinated with COVID-19 vaccines, either with BNT162b2, mRNA-1273, AZD1222/ChAdOx1nCoV-19, or Coronavac/BBIBP-CorV vaccines.

Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted among subjects with either solid or hematological cancers who had received two doses of either mRNA or non-mRNA vaccines within 6 months. The levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 S-RBD IgG and NAb were analyzed using the Mindray Immunoassay Analyzer CL-900i. Statistical analysis was conducted using mean comparison and regression analysis.

Result: The mRNA-1273 vaccine had the highest median levels of S-RBD IgG and NAb, followed by BNT162b, ChAdOx1nCoV-19, and BBIBP-CorV/Coronavac. The levels of S-RBD IgG and NAb in subjects vaccinated with mRNA vaccines were significantly higher than those of non-mRNA vaccines when grouped based on their characteristics, including age, type of cancer, chemotherapy regimen, and comorbidity (p<0.05). Furthermore, the S-RBD IgG and NAb levels between the subjects vaccinated with non-mRNA vaccines and the subjects vaccinated with mRNA vaccines were significantly different (p<0.05). However, there was no significant difference between the same types of vaccines. This study demonstrated a very strong correlation between the level of S-RBD IgG and the level of NAb (R = 0.962; p<0.001). The level of anti-SARS-CoV-2 S-RBD IgG was consistently higher compared to the level of NAb.

Conclusions: Generally, mRNA vaccines produced significantly higher anti-SARS-CoV-2 S-RBD IgG and NAb levels than non-mRNA vaccines in cancer subjects.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 2019-nCoV Vaccine mRNA-1273
  • BNT162 Vaccine
  • COVID-19 Vaccines
  • COVID-19*
  • ChAdOx1 nCoV-19
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Neoplasms*
  • RNA, Messenger
  • SARS-CoV-2

Substances

  • sinovac COVID-19 vaccine
  • BIBP COVID-19 vaccine
  • COVID-19 Vaccines
  • 2019-nCoV Vaccine mRNA-1273
  • BNT162 Vaccine
  • ChAdOx1 nCoV-19
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Immunoglobulin G

Associated data

  • figshare/10.6084/m9.figshare.21063757

Grants and funding

This research was funded by Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo National Central General Hospital’s grant program “Hibah Riset Operasional RSCM” (grant number: LB.01.02/2.6/0668/2021). Ethical approval for this study was granted by The Ethics Committee of The Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia (ethical approval number: KET–999/UN2.F1/ETIK/PPM.00.02/2021). the funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.