Could the COVID-19 vaccine help in the fight against cancer?
Emerging research is stirring new questions about how COVID-19 vaccines, particularly mRNA vaccines, might interact with cancer therapies. A study analyzing more than 1,000 patient records suggests that receiving a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine within 100 days of starting immunotherapy was associated with longer survival for some patients with advanced lung and skin cancers. While the results do not prove causation, they point to a potential, practical synergy worth exploring in future trials.
What the study found
The retrospective analysis focused on patients who began immunotherapy for advanced cancer and compared those who had a COVID mRNA vaccine within roughly three months before or after starting treatment with those who did not receive the vaccine in that window. In lung cancer, the data suggested a near doubling of median survival—from about 20.6 months to 37.3 months. In metastatic melanoma, median survival appeared to rise from 26.7 months to a range around 30–40 months, with some patients possibly doing even better.
How the vaccines might work alongside immunotherapy
Experts hypothesize that mRNA vaccines can rapidly wake up the immune system. Animal studies have shown that this surge can prime immune cells that invade tumors and help them recognize cancer cells more effectively. In the current analysis, the vaccines may have helped create stronger anti-tumor responses in combination with immunotherapy, a cornerstone of modern cancer treatment.
Biological and clinical caveats
Assc Prof Seth Cheetham, who studies mRNA technology at the University of Queensland, emphasized that this study shows associations, not causation. The retrospective design means other factors could influence outcomes. He noted that while the idea of using an existing mRNA vaccine to boost cancer therapy is appealing—especially given cost and logistical hurdles of some personalized cancer vaccines—prospective, controlled trials are essential to confirm any benefit and to understand which patients might benefit most.
What this could mean for future research and treatment
If confirmatory trials demonstrate a real, reproducible effect, clinicians could have a new, accessible tool to augment cancer therapies without added procedures or expensive bespoke vaccines. The concept aligns with a broader shift toward leveraging the immune system to fight cancer, a field that includes checkpoint inhibitors, adoptive cell therapies, and personalized vaccines. The current findings are a reminder that existing vaccines might play unexpected supporting roles in cancer care, at least for some patients.
Vaccine updates and ongoing protection
Separately, ongoing research confirms that updated COVID vaccines continue to provide meaningful protection against infection, hospitalization, and death. The latest 2024–25 formulations show similar effectiveness to prior versions, with protection strongest about four weeks after vaccination and gradually waning over time. As a result, health authorities continue to advocate annual vaccination to maintain protection against circulating variants.
What this means for patients and clinicians
For patients with advanced lung or skin cancers, the possibility that a widely available mRNA vaccine could enhance immunotherapy responses is encouraging, but it is not yet practice-changing. Patients should discuss vaccination decisions with their oncology team, considering individual risk profiles, treatment plans, and current evidence. The research team behind the Nature study also stresses the importance of follow-up trials to verify the findings and to establish clear guidelines on timing, vaccine type, and patient selection.
Bottom line
Early observational findings hint that COVID mRNA vaccines might amplify the immune system’s ability to fight certain cancers when paired with immunotherapy. While promising, these results require confirmation through prospective trials. In the meantime, COVID vaccination remains a key tool for protecting patients from infection and its complications, while researchers continue to explore any additional cancer-directed benefits of vaccines and immune therapies.
