COVID-19 Boosters Lower Hospital Stays for Cancer Patients
COVID-19 Boosters Show significant Benefit for Cancer Patients, Study Finds
Cedars-Sinai research highlights the critical role of vaccination in protecting vulnerable populations.
Los Angeles, CA – A groundbreaking study from Cedars-Sinai has revealed that COVID-19 booster shots offer a significant benefit too cancer patients, dramatically reducing the need for hospitalization.The findings underscore the importance of vaccination for this high-risk group and aim to encourage greater uptake of booster doses.
Low Booster Uptake Despite Clear Benefits
Despite the clear advantages, the study observed a concerningly low rate of booster uptake among cancer patients. By January 1, 2022, only 68% of patients in the study sample had received a booster. This figure dropped even further to 38% after updated boosters targeting multiple COVID-19 strains became available.
“The number of patients we needed to treat to see a benefit to the boosters is quite low,” saeid Dr. Robert Figueiredo, program leader of Cancer Prevention and Control at Cedars-sinai. “This shows a great benefit to our cancer patients and should encourage patients to discuss vaccination with their healthcare providers.”
The reasons behind this low uptake remain unclear, with Dr. Figueiredo suggesting potential factors such as patient concerns about safety or provider uncertainty regarding vaccine governance during cancer treatment. “What is clear is that we need to advocate strongly for vulnerable groups, including cancer patients, to receive these vaccines,” he emphasized.
Advancing Understanding of mRNA Vaccine Effectiveness
The COVID-19 pandemic provided researchers with an unprecedented opportunity to study mRNA vaccines. Five years into this new era of vaccine technology,there is still much to learn about their effectiveness across diverse populations.
Dr. Robert Figlin, interim director of Cedars-Sinai Cancer, commented on the significance of the research: ”This is the largest study to date of COVID-19 booster effectiveness in cancer patients, a high-risk population of critical importance. It adds substantially to our understanding of the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines, and we will undertake additional studies as vaccine formulations change and new variants emerge so that we can make recommendations that best protect the health of our patients.”
Future Research and Broader Implications
The Cedars-Sinai team is expanding its research to include vaccine effectiveness data for patients with autoimmune diseases and those who have undergone solid organ transplants.
“There are several diffrent groups whose immune systems have been affected in different ways, which gives us an opportunity to expand further our understanding of how these vaccines work,” Dr. Figueiredo explained. This ongoing work aims to provide complete guidance for protecting a wide range of immunocompromised individuals.
Reference:
Skarbinski J, Elkin EP, Ziemba YC, et al. COVID-19 vaccine booster uptake and effectiveness among US adults with cancer. JAMA Oncol. 2025. doi: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2025.2020
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