Tagged: Covid 19 vaccine
This topic contains 17 replies, has 8 voices, and was last updated by 
Interesting blog from Caroline. There are vaccines that work in different ways also being developed. Do we know which
of vaccine is likely to be most effective for myeloma patients should a range of vaccines become available?
Hi pjollop,
I asked my consultant that very question when she phoned today. She said that none of the main 3 vaccines are live vaccines which is promising for Myeloma patients but that the medical teams won’t get definite advice until the vaccines have been fully authorised. One issue is that Myeloma patients were not included in trials (for obvious reasons, I guess).
On the television I heard mention of something else – an ‘antibody cocktail’ for people with a weakened immune system that is being trialled by AstraZeneca. If it is successful, it could apparently give up to a year’s protection for those with compromised immune systems. I read more about it on the Cancer Research UK website: https://scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org/2020/11/20/covid-19-vaccine-and-cancer-latest-updates/
All the best,
Rachel
Just to add two things to my post above:
Someone else (scientific) told me they were not sure if the Oxford vaccine was totally non-live?? Its all beyond me but happily our consultants will know. Sorry if info’ above isn’t correct….I don’t know if it is or not…
On Twitter I read a thread from @bloodcancer_uk saying that the extremely clinically vulnerable have been moved up to the same priority level as people aged over 70 and that adults who live with us blood cancer patients will also get priority.
My husband was contacted on 7th December and offered the vaccine. Haematology CNS was quick to liaise with constant and confirm it was ok for him to have it and he received it on the 8th. We are so relieved that he could have it. It obviously won’t change how we behave but the overwhelming fear of Lee contracting Covid will hopefully reduce. I am a nurse and trying to continue working. We haven’t met anyone or allowed anyone into our house since March. I truly hope you are all offered the vaccine soon. My
Understanding is that the Pfizer vaccine is the safest for MM patients and although not tested on this group of patients we felt the benefits far outweighed the risk.
Dear Rachel,
You ve done very well to point out Astra Zenecas AZD74442 (now in phase 3 clinical trial ) long acting antibodies against covid 19 . This indeed is highly relevant to the topic of vaccines and their effectiveness in myeloma ( and indeed in many other heamatological and non haematological conditions; literally thousands of patients have an interest in this topic )
This because on theoretical grounds, an impaired immmune system makes it high likely that there wil be a corresponding impaired response to a vaccine ( live friendly viruses are used treat myeloma Reolysin??? btw ). But there will great variation from patient to patient in terms of degree of impairment and which part of the complex immune system is particularly impaired or intact. After an ASCT the new immune system has lost its response to all previous vaccinations and previous infections .
In my own case after three different regimes and two ascts , I started on isatuximab ,pomalidamide and dexamethasone (40mg weekly ) in June under the EAMS scheme, which I learnt about last november and succesfully applied for before the widow of opportunity was closed by NICE . Likewise I think myself relatively lucky to be treated in sheffield where the haematology day ward was still open .
This is the first time I have been treated with a proper triple regime (I never regraded CTD as a proper triple regime ) and I have my best response so far ;indeed out of the last chance saloon . The problem is 40mg of dex weekly makes vaccination responses impossible ?? and i think you need to stop for months before this impairment is corrected . Bearing in mind this sterioid?dosage is universal in most anti myeloma regimes I am certainly not alone.
I ve had regular flu jabs on the basis it will do no harm but i dont think it is protective and indeed I had flu in september 2019.
So passive immunisation for a year with a monoclonal anti covid antibody cocktail is very relevant to us; given prophylactically (if it proven to work in the present trials)
Congratulations once again in keeping your eyes open for a highly relevant possible treatment option. I have been searching the medical literature on the internet for both direct antivirals that work against covid and information about the effectiveness of the vaccines in our clinical stuation ( Not much guidance from the heamatologists??) . Just to explain I am retired consultant physician/gastroenterologist who has been on this forum over ten years but have not posted recently but I am still a patient and respresent their views working with myeloma uk
best wishes michael
Dear All,
Further to the arrival of the oxford vaccine ,it seems we will be offered the vaccine in the 4th gruop of the first phase of mass vaccination; and the advice elsewhere on this website (and that of the American IMF) seems to be to take up the offer even though there must be doubt of its effectiveness in myeloma and those on medications (eg dexamethasone )for the latter .
IF you belong the RUDY study (post elswhere on this forum) about 500 of you will know of the Prepare study in which one part will look to address the immune response to vaccine in blood cancers and if modifying therapy can improve the response. The trial is being set up for next year but the first flyer advert outlines the questions being asked .
BUT I still think AZD7442 hopefully wil be shown to be effective and is the best hope of providing immunity to covid 19 in myeloma and in other immundeficient conditions .
keep safer in tier 4
michael
Hi Everyone,
Happy New Year (as far as is possible under the circumstances).
Thank you, Dr Michael, for your kind comments. It’s reassuring that from your professional perspective you think the AZD7442 ‘antibody cocktail’ could be promising for those in our kind of situations. I can’t find any updates on when the trial might finish and the treatment gain approval/validation but hopefully it will be soon.
That’s exciting that, ClareB, your husband has received the Pfizer vaccine and I hope he is doing well.
It does sound, as you say, as if the Pfizer vaccine might be the best option. The Cancer Research Uk Science blog says that Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine “Contains a weakened form of a harmless virus that usually causes the common cold in chimpanzees but doesn’t grow in humans. The virus has been modified to include the gene for the coronavirus spike protein protein. Injecting this virus aims to prime the immune system to attack without exposing the body to the full virus.” I’m no scientist. Does this mean this vaccine is live or not live??? (Dr Michael, do you know?)
Do you think we will be given any choice in which type of vaccine we receive or will our consultants have choice on our behalf? Or will it be random?
Finally, if anyone reads this blog for the first time of course everything I wrote on 30th Nov is well out-of date and sadly at the time of writing it seems our partners/carers are not given equal priority which is a big shame.
Keep safe everyone,
Rachel
Last night Blood Cancer UK held an online information session on Covid vaccination. Their view is that either vaccine will provide some protection for all of us,except during first 12 weeks post autologous SCT or first 6 months post allogeneic transplant. As this is a new virus, (unlike flu), none of us have any immunity to Covid so “some protection is better than none” . The vaccine has now been used by millions worldwide and virtually no vaccinated patients have needed hospital treatment- this Inc blood cancer patients- although some have been unwell with Covid.
The panel think it is achievable that we with MM will be offered a vaccine by mid Feb. The passive immunity on trial is likely only to be offered to very few, in very limited circumstances. Most of us will be given helpful level of protection from the AZ or Pfizer vaccines.
A European myeloma study has shown no MM drugs put us at increased risk, the risk for MM patients are older age, and uncontrolled cancer (ie not diagnosed & newly diagnosed most at risk).
That’s really helpful info Mulberry thank you.
My wife is aged 73. She has MM and is on the Myeloma 11 trial. She takes Lenalidomide. She is ((obviously) vulnerable and is on the official shielded list Re Covid 19. Happily all appears to be well under control. She also has other problems. Her GP said she should have priority for a vaccine and would arrange it. An hour later GP sent a text saying sorry, no can do. GP said the rules are fixed by a central body and are absolutely rigid, allowing GP’s no discretion. Can this really be so? GP says sorry, the rules mean my wife cannot have any special place in the queue even though she is vulnerable. She must wait until everyone in the 70 to 75 age group is eligible. Does anyone know of any way around what seems to be excessive centralised control – obviously a few GP’s might cheat if they were given unfettered discretion but there are ways to prevent this. 100% rigidity in the rules suggests that admin convenience may be getting more priority than human life.
Last night I read this on Twitter which helped answer my own questions about the Oxford vaccine and reassured me that it is not a live vaccine:
‘Is the Oxford vaccine live?’*
A thread.👇
*spoiler alert: the answer is NO.
Please RT! pic.twitter.com/OAsP2qqyyH
— Rachel Kahn (@rachellk96) January 8, 2021
(Rachel Kahn’s profile is ‘Research Comms @BloodCancerUK’)
At the end of the tweet there is a link to the ‘Ask the Experts’ Facebook discussion which I think may be the same one that Mulberry has helpfully summarised above. I found it very reassuring in the main even though we will have to continue shielding for some while yet.
I hear that myeloma patients have been moved up the current priority list for a COVID-19 vaccine in England.
Does this also apply to Wales?
Is it true that myeloma patients have been moved up the priority list in England for a Covid-19 vaccine?
Patients in the Cambridge support group have been told that we should be offered vaccination by mid February…
Don’t hold your breath. (And it doesn’t apply to our nearest and dearest)
I had my az vaccine this afternoon ,watch this space
Michael
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