REPRISE project:
The REPRISE project aims to formalise a set of priorities for cancer research in LMICs in the emergent context of the challenges wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic. The primary component of REPRISE is a Delphi study of experts in LMICs with global reach. The Delphi study builds on preliminary work which has been conducted by our Task Force on the impacts of COVID-19, which included a globally representative snapshot survey of researchers and clinicians, a bibliometric analysis of global cancer research output, and a qualitative review of how COVID-19 impacted research infrastructure, funding, and culture during 2020. The Delphi study will examine both: 1) general cancer research priorities for LMICs, acknowledging the impacts of COVID-19; and 2) areas of potential priority which concern the transition of the COVID-19 situation from pandemic to endemic, and the implications of this for people with cancer in those countries.
Antibody response to COVID-19 vaccines in children received/receiving cancer treatment.
According to WHO reports, cumulative cases and cumulative deaths of Covid-19 have reached 300 million and 5 million, respectively. Covid-19 related mortality and morbidity is higher in both adults and children with chronic disease and immunocompromised people including cancer. In a study from Turkey it was reported that 16% of pediatric COVID-19 cases with cancer needed ICU and 3.9% of them died. Twenty percent of 1500 children from 45 countries with cancer and Covıd-19 who were registered to St. Jude and SIOP Global Registry platform between February 2020 - February 2021 had severe and critical disease and mortality rate was reported as 3.8%. Vaccines were approved for children between 12-18 years old in July 2021. In Turkey, the adult vaccination program started in January 2021 and was expanded to include between 12-18 year-old adolescents in September 2021. Patients with chronic disease or cancer have priority in vaccination. However, there is not sufficient information about whether an adequate immune response is formed with the vaccine in patients received/received cancer treatment and whether protection against the disease is sufficient. Schema and dose of vaccination, necessity and time of booster dose in immunocompromised patients and children with cancer is not certain. To measure response to COVID-19 vaccination by analyzing spike antibody levels three weeks after second dose of vaccination, we planned a study in pediatric cancer patients with continuing or finished treatment. We believe that results of this study will contribute to the development of opinions on the dose, dose range, and booster dose requirement of COVID-19 vaccination in children with cancer.