Covid-19 vaccine may activate immune system to fight cancer

Covid-19 vaccines may help activate the immune system to fight cancer, according to a surprising finding from a new study published in the British journal Nature.

The study was conducted by experts at the MD Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas and the University of Florida (USA).

Activate the immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells

In animal studies, the research team found that “Covid-19 mRNA vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna) act as an alarm bell, activating the immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells, helping to overcome the mechanism that cancer uses to disable immunity”.

They also analyzed data from more than 1,000 patients with advanced lung cancer and melanoma who were being treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors, which activate the immune system to kill cancer cells by blocking harmful proteins that cancer cells use to “disable” immune cells.

Notably, patients who received the Pfizer or Moderna Covid-19 vaccine within 100 days of starting immunotherapy were more than twice as likely to survive three years as those who did not.

More surprisingly, even patients with tumors that are less likely to respond to immunotherapy saw a significant benefit, with three-year survival rates nearly five times higher. This association remained strong even after researchers controlled for factors such as disease severity and comorbidities.

Covid-19 mRNA vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna) act as an alarm bell, activating the immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells

ILLUSTRATION: AI

Potential "duo" in destroying cancer cells

The team stressed the importance of this finding: “Immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors has revolutionized cancer treatment in the past decade, but is less effective against ‘cold’ tumors – tumors that evade the immune system. The new results suggest that mRNA vaccines could turn ‘cold’ tumors into ‘hot’ ones.”

When combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors, mRNA vaccines work together to unleash the full power of the immune system to destroy cancer cells.

The team is now preparing for a nationwide clinical trial in lung cancer patients. Those who are being treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors will be randomly assigned to receive or not receive the mRNA Covid-19 vaccine during their treatment. This study will determine whether the Covid-19 vaccine should be introduced into the care of patients receiving immunotherapy.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/vac-xin-covid-19-co-the-kich-hoat-he-mien-dich-chong-lai-ung-thu-18525102317350963.htm