COVID-19 Vaccine Response in Pediatric Oncology Patients

Abstract

Pediatric oncology and hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) patients may fail to mount an appropriate immune response to COVID-19 vaccinations. The immunologic response to initial SARS-CoV-2 vaccination was studied in 93 pediatric patients with hematologic malignancy, solid tumors, or post-HSCT. The majority of patients who were not receiving chemotherapy showed a positive humoral and cell-mediated response to COVID-19 vaccination. In contrast, variable responses to vaccination were seen in patients receiving chemotherapy. Patients with a normal lymphocyte count showed higher rates of seroconversion than their lymphocytopenic counterparts. This report details pediatric oncology and HSCT patients’ immunologic responses to COVID-19 vaccination during all phases of treatment.