![]() MRNA vaccines like those made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna are preferred over the J&J vaccine. If you’re a breast cancer survivor, talk to your doctor if you have questions about the COVID-19 vaccines themselves or the recommended vaccination schedule. Remember that everyone’s individual situation is different. They note that people with cancer as well as some survivors can have a weakened immune system that puts them at risk of serious illness. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) also recommends that people with cancer get the COVID-19 vaccine. ![]() A contraindication is a symptom or medical condition that indicates a person should not receive a certain treatment or medical procedure. They note that this is particularly important for people at an increased risk of serious illness, including those with cancer or a weakened immune system.Īdditionally, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) states that people with cancer, including those undergoing treatment and cancer survivors, be offered the COVID-19 vaccine as long as there are no contraindications. The CDC recommends COVID-19 vaccines for everyone ages 5 and up. Is the COVID-19 vaccine recommended for breast cancer survivors? The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are mRNA vaccines while the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine uses an adenoviral vector that cannot replicate. None of the three COVID-19 vaccines in use in the United States are live vaccines. Some examples include the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine and the chickenpox vaccine. It’s not typically recommended for people with a weakened immune system to get vaccines that contain a live, weakened form of a virus. The COVID-19 vaccine is not one of these vaccines. If you have a weakened immune system, you may have heard that you cannot receive some vaccines. This fact makes vaccination in cancer survivors especially important.Ĭan people with a weakened immune system get the COVID-19 vaccine? This effect was strongest for people with active cancer. Having a cancer diagnosis was associated with a higher risk of hospitalization and death. ![]() People with cancer or with moderately to severely weakened immune systems are some of the groups at a higher risk of severe illness or death due to COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Ī 2021 study compared COVID-19 outcomes in people who had been diagnosed with cancer and those who had not. Are breast cancer survivors more vulnerable to COVID-19? In fact, a 2016 study in breast cancer survivors found that certain infection-fighting cells remained significantly low 9 months after chemotherapy. This is because they can affect the way that the immune system works, potentially weakening it.īreast cancer treatments that may increase your risk of infection include:Īccording to the ACS, chemotherapy is the most common cause of a weakened immune system in those receiving treatment for cancer. Receiving some types of cancer treatment can make you more vulnerable to contracting infections like COVID-19. Why are breast cancer survivors especially vulnerable to COVID-19?
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