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The article published in the British Journal of Haematology discusses the preservation of vaccine-associated antibodies in patients undergoing chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy. The study evaluated seropositivity against vaccine-preventable infections (VPIs) in a lymphoma cohort during the early CAR-T period (0-6 months post-infusion). Results showed that a high proportion of patients maintained antibodies against viral VPIs and tetanus, with lower rates for bacterial VPIs like Streptococcus pneumoniae. The study highlights the need for further research on optimal revaccination strategies post CAR-T therapy. [Extracted from the article]

T/Natural killer (NK) cell lymphomas (TCL) represent a heterogenous subgroup of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, associated with poorer prognosis and higher treatment toxicity. A cohesive synthesis of infection outcomes among TCL patients is lacking. International guidelines offer no specific recommendations regarding prophylaxis or supportive infection care for TCL patients. This systematic narrative review highlights infection outcomes in TCL patients treated with conventional, and novel therapies. Recommendations for infection screening, antimicrobial prophylaxis and vaccination strategies are outined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Revaccination after receipt of a hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) or cellular therapies is a pillar of patient supportive care, with the potential to reduce morbidity and mortality linked to vaccine‐preventable infections. This review synthesizes national, international, and expert consensus vaccination schedules post‐HCT and presents evidence regarding the efficacy of newer vaccine formulations for pneumococcus, recombinant zoster vaccine, and coronavirus disease 2019 in patients with hematological malignancy. Revaccination post‐cellular therapies are less well defined. This review highlights important considerations around poor vaccine response, seroprevalence preservation after cellular therapies, and the optimal timing of revaccination. Future research should assess the immunogenicity and real‐world effectiveness of new vaccine formulations and/or vaccine schedules in patients post‐HCT and cellular therapy, including analysis of vaccine response that relates to the target of cellular therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with cancer demonstrate an increased vulnerability for infection and severe disease by SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19. Risk factors for severe COVID-19 include comorbidities, uncontrolled disease, and current line of treatment. Although COVID-19 vaccines have afforded some level of protection against infection and severe disease among patients with solid tumors and hematologic malignancies, decreased immunogenicity and real-world effectiveness have been observed among this population compared with healthy individuals. Characterizing and understanding the immune response to increasing doses or differing schedules of COVID-19 vaccines among patients with cancer is important to inform clinical and public health practices. In this article, we review SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility and immune responses to COVID-19 vaccination in patients with solid tumors, hematologic malignancies, and those receiving hematopoietic stem cell transplant or chimeric-antigen receptor T-cell therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infection remains a significant contributor to morbidity and mortality in patients with myeloma. This guideline was developed by a multidisciplinary group of clinicians who specialise in the management of patients with myeloma and infection from the medical and scientific advisory group from Myeloma Australia and the National Centre for Infections in Cancer. In addition to summarising the current epidemiology and risk factors for infection in patients with myeloma, this guideline provides recommendations that address three key areas in the prevention of infection: screening for latent infection, use of antimicrobial prophylaxis and immunoglobulin replacement and vaccination against leading respiratory infections (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, influenza and Streptococcus pneumoniae) and other preventable infections. This guideline provides a practical approach to the prevention of infection in patients with myeloma and harmonises the clinical approach to screening for infection, use of prophylaxis and vaccination to prevent infectious complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the need for a standardized approach to reporting infection events in immunocompromised patients. The authors highlight the limitations in current reporting practices and emphasize the importance of accurate and comprehensive reporting in clinical trials and observational studies. They introduce a basic core reporting dataset called "SCORE," which consists of five components that describe an infection event. The authors also provide guidance on additional details that should be included in different types of studies. They recommend the use of a ready-built data collection instrument and established definitions for pathogens and infectious syndromes. The article concludes by emphasizing the importance of adopting the proposed reporting dataset to improve research collaboration and advance research in immunocompromised patients. [Extracted from the article]

Acquired hypogammaglobulinemia or secondary immunodeficiency (SID) occurs commonly in hematological malignancies with increasing incidence and complexity in the era of modern therapies. Despite current practice of immunoglobulin replacement (IgRT) in SID, the evidence is lacking, especially for newer treatments. We discuss the current evidence for IgRT in various disease groups including issues, such as actual or ideal body weight (IBW)-based dosing, length of treatment, antibiotic prophylaxis, and vaccination. Incidence of SID with newer treatment is lacking. While there is a trend toward decreased respiratory infections and hospitalizations with IgRT, this is not consistent across all disease course or treatment groups. Dosing and indications for cessation of IgRT are also inadequately characterized. Further randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies are required to assess the optimal indications, timing, and duration of IgRT to improve the efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness. Assessment of alternative and adjunctive therapies, such as vaccination and antibiotic prophylaxis could also improve the outcomes and costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]