Patients with cancer can be reassured that two doses of COVID-19 vaccine provide a good level of protection against the virus, the CEO of Cancer Australia says, despite moves in some countries to offer a third dose.

Before the US announced a plan for universal booster shots in August, the Centers for Disease Control had recommended a third dose for patients receiving active cancer treatment for tumours or haematological cancers.

Professor Dorothy Keefe told Australian Doctor that studies suggested antibody titres were much lower in patients undergoing cancer treatment, especially while waiting for their second dose.

But this didn’t necessarily tell the whole story.