PROSECO: Immune responses to COVID-19 vaccination in lymphoma patients [COVID-19]
Research type
Research Study
Full title
PROSECO - A UK multicentre prospective observational study evaluating COVID-19 vaccine immune responses in lymphoid cancer
IRAS ID
294739
Contact name
Sean Hua Lim
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 5 months, 31 days
Research summary
The UK government recently initiated population-wide COVID-19 vaccination in December 2020, on a priority basis. The clinical trial data on the clinical effectiveness and immunological responses elicited by these vaccines are primarily based on healthy individuals and exclude patients with active cancers or deficiencies of their immune systems. Patients with lymphoid cancer are significantly immunosuppressed, have increased mortality from COVID-19 and are less likely to develop a robust vaccine immune responses.
This prospective observational study aims to evaluate the robustness and persistence of immune responses to vaccination, define factors associated with impaired immune responses and assess the incidence of COVID-19 infections in vaccinated individuals.
To do this, we will collect peripheral blood from 680 patients with lymphoid cancers at 4 time points (pre-vaccination, and 4 weeks, 6 and 9 months following the first dose). The blood will be assessed in the laboratory for first, development of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19 and second, development of T-cell immunological memory to SARS-CoV-2. Development of these antibodies and/or T-cell immunological memory would provide us with an indication of how effective COVID-19 vaccination is. Detailed clinical information will also be collated about their cancer and treatment.
Upon study completion, we will be able to ascertain whether patients with lymphoid cancer can mount robust and sustained responses to COVID-19 vaccination, and have identified factors that might influence immunological response. This knowledge will allow us to modify our vaccination strategy or patient management to ensure optimal vaccine responses are achieved in this population, and thus protection from COVID-19.
REC name
North West - Liverpool Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/NW/0040
Date of REC Opinion
4 Mar 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion