US EditionCOVID-19 vaccines may help some cancer patients fight tumors: Study
- On October 19, 2025, investigators at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center reported that patients who received mRNA COVID vaccines within 100 days of starting immunotherapy were twice as likely to be alive after three years.
- Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center traced the effect to mRNA vaccines acting as an immune alarm, supported by Grippin and Sayour's lab finding non-specific mRNA vaccines train immune systems to attack cancer.
- In a study of over 1,000 patients treated from 2019 to 2023, 180 lung cancer patients had median survival of 37 months versus 20 months in 704 unvaccinated patients, and 43 vaccinated melanoma patients had not yet reached median survival compared to 167 unvaccinated.
- Investigators found the biggest benefits in immunologically "cold" tumors, with survival gains most pronounced and immune activation plus higher PD-L1 suggesting sensitization to checkpoint inhibitors.
- Despite the promise, researchers and independent experts warn the research is early and retrospective, requiring validation in randomized clinical trials amid recent US cuts to mRNA vaccine development funding.
138 Articles
138 Articles
University of Florida Study Finds COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine May Help Immune System Fight Cancer
Researchers at the University of Florida (UF) and MD Anderson Cancer Center report a compelling correlation between receiving an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine and improved survival in patients undergoing immunotherapy for certain cancers. Key Findings A retrospective analysis of patient records revealed that individuals with advanced lung or skin cancer who had received an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine […] The post University of Florida Study Finds COVID-19 mRN…
Corona vaccines could unexpectedly help cancer patients: mRNA vaccines seem to activate the immune system in such a way that immunotherapy works better.
Study suggests Covid jab could boost cancer treatment
Researchers now want to conduct larger studies to confirm the findings. Vaccines for Covid-19 can “turbo-charge” a certain type of cancer treatment which harnesses the immune system to attack cancer cells, research suggests. Academics said that the finding, once confirmed in wider studies, could “revolutionise” cancer care. A new study, published in the journal Nature, found that patients with lung or skin cancer who had an mRNA Covid jab within…
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 52% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
