Many cancer patients are highly susceptible to infection and respond poorly tovaccination. This observational study will determine molecular and cellular features ofimmunity to viral pathogens in participants with cancer and compare them to healthycontrols. The aim is to identify how antiviral immunity in participants with cancerdiffers from that in healthy participants to understand why cancer patients are moresusceptible to infections. In this context, the investigators will also evaluate immunityto medically indicated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) andseasonal influenza vaccine received by study participants during standard care (vaccinesare not part of the study).
Cancer and its treatments are associated with dysregulated immune systems, and cancer
patients are highly susceptible to infections (e.g., influenza, SARS-CoV-2). Importantly,
cancer patients often respond poorly to vaccination. The molecular and cellular
mechanisms underlying immune dysregulation and poor immunity in cancer patients are
manifold, variable among individual patients/conditions, and poorly understood. An
in-depth understanding of these mechanisms is essential to identifying novel strategies
to prevent infectious diseases and developing individualized therapies.
In this observational study, the investigators will collect blood samples from 200
participants with hematological and oncological malignancies and healthy participants and
analyze the cellular and humoral immune status in the context of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza
infection and vaccination within these samples using systems biological tools. Medically
indicated vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 and influenza during study participation is
allowed.
This study aims to (1) examine the fundamental innate, cellular, and humoral immune
responses to pathogens that form the basis of immunological memory and (2) identify
molecular and cellular mechanisms responsible for the reduced immune immunity to viral
pathogens in participants with cancer.
Procedure: Biological sample collection
Whole blood (blood draw/phlebotomy) will be obtained to proceed with immunologic analysis
of samples. Collection of biologic samples will occur up to 12 months.
Inclusion Criteria:
- You are aged 18 years or older.
- You are able to understand and give informed consent.
- Participants with cancer: you are suffering from cancer
- Healthy participants: you are a healthy individual.
Exclusion Criteria:
- You are unable to give informed consent.
- You have been suffering from an acute infection with fever during the last three
days.
- You have a Hb level of less than 9 g/dl.
- You have a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.
University Hopsital Tuebingen
Tuebingen, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany