SARS-CoV-2 Infection, Vaccination and Risk of Death in People with An Oncological Disease in Northeast Italy.

People with a history of cancer have a higher risk of death when infected with SARS-CoV-2. COVID-19 vaccines in cancer patients proved safe and effective, even if efficacy may be lower than in the general population. In this population-based study, we compare the risk of dying of cancer patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in 2021, vaccinated or non-vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 and residing in Friuli Venezia Giulia or in the province of Reggio Emilia. An amount of 800 deaths occurred among 6583 patients; the risk of death was more than three times higher among unvaccinated compared to vaccinated ones [HR 3.4; 95% CI 2.9-4.1]. The excess risk of death was stronger in those aged 70-79 years [HR 4.6; 95% CI 3.2-6.8], in patients with diagnosis made <1 year [HR 8.5; 95% CI 7.3-10.5] and in all cancer sites, including hematological malignancies. The study results indicate that vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 infection is a necessary tool to be included in the complex of oncological therapies aimed at reducing the risk of death.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

The authors declare that the research was conducted without any commercial or financial relationships construed as a potential conflict of interest.