Tweet
Sci Rep
. 2025 Mar 6;15(1):7858.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-92254-8. Cracking the code of a correlate of protection against SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infection in cancer patients
Yana Debie 1 2 , Irene Garcia-Fogeda 3 , Lander Willem 4 , Ella Roelant 5 , Lise Verbruggen 1 , Greetje Vanhoutte 1 , Lieselot Croes 1 2 , Christof Vulsteke 2 6 , Wim Demey 7 , Willem Lybaert 8 , Marianne Hanssens 9 , Alain Bols 10 , Johan Van Ongeval 11 , Ann De Becker 12 , Hilde Jansens 13 , Maria E Goossens 14 , Annelies Janssens 1 2 , Hans Prenen 1 2 , Sébastien Anguille 1 15 , Marc Peeters 1 2 , Peter A van Dam 1 2 , Niel Hens 3 16 , Steven Abrams 4 16 , Timon Vandamme 17 18
Affiliations
The level of protection against SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections conferred by the presence of anti-S1 SARS-CoV-2 antibodies (IgGs) in cancer patients is still understudied. This work examines the existence of an anti-S1 immunoglobulin G (IgG) -based correlate of protection (CoP) established by prospectively collected observational data about breakthrough infections with different SARS-CoV-2 variants in a large cohort study with vaccinated cancer patients. 760 cancer patients were longitudinally followed-up, starting before first vaccination until six months after second booster. Anti-S1 SARS-CoV-2 IgGs were quantified in serum samples (N = 2958) and breakthrough infections were monitored using questionnaires, routine COVID-19 testing and medical chart review. A Generalized Estimating Equations approach was used to model the binary infection status as endpoint in relation to anti-S1 IgG titers. It is observed that higher anti-S1 IgG titers correspond to a lower probability of breakthrough infection. For the early pandemic phase, a protective anti-S1 IgG titer above 20.42 BAU/mL was observed. However, with the emergence of the Omicron variant, higher anti-S1 IgG titers are required to be protective, but no clear CoP could be identified.
Keywords: Antibodies; Breakthrough infection; COVID-19; COVID-19 vaccination; Cancer patients; Correlate of protection; SARS-CoV-2.
. 2025 Mar 6;15(1):7858.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-92254-8. Cracking the code of a correlate of protection against SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infection in cancer patients
Yana Debie 1 2 , Irene Garcia-Fogeda 3 , Lander Willem 4 , Ella Roelant 5 , Lise Verbruggen 1 , Greetje Vanhoutte 1 , Lieselot Croes 1 2 , Christof Vulsteke 2 6 , Wim Demey 7 , Willem Lybaert 8 , Marianne Hanssens 9 , Alain Bols 10 , Johan Van Ongeval 11 , Ann De Becker 12 , Hilde Jansens 13 , Maria E Goossens 14 , Annelies Janssens 1 2 , Hans Prenen 1 2 , Sébastien Anguille 1 15 , Marc Peeters 1 2 , Peter A van Dam 1 2 , Niel Hens 3 16 , Steven Abrams 4 16 , Timon Vandamme 17 18
Affiliations
- PMID: 40050359
- DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-92254-8
The level of protection against SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections conferred by the presence of anti-S1 SARS-CoV-2 antibodies (IgGs) in cancer patients is still understudied. This work examines the existence of an anti-S1 immunoglobulin G (IgG) -based correlate of protection (CoP) established by prospectively collected observational data about breakthrough infections with different SARS-CoV-2 variants in a large cohort study with vaccinated cancer patients. 760 cancer patients were longitudinally followed-up, starting before first vaccination until six months after second booster. Anti-S1 SARS-CoV-2 IgGs were quantified in serum samples (N = 2958) and breakthrough infections were monitored using questionnaires, routine COVID-19 testing and medical chart review. A Generalized Estimating Equations approach was used to model the binary infection status as endpoint in relation to anti-S1 IgG titers. It is observed that higher anti-S1 IgG titers correspond to a lower probability of breakthrough infection. For the early pandemic phase, a protective anti-S1 IgG titer above 20.42 BAU/mL was observed. However, with the emergence of the Omicron variant, higher anti-S1 IgG titers are required to be protective, but no clear CoP could be identified.
Keywords: Antibodies; Breakthrough infection; COVID-19; COVID-19 vaccination; Cancer patients; Correlate of protection; SARS-CoV-2.