Data presented at ESMO and analyses from MD Anderson reported that patients who received mRNA COVID‑19 vaccines within 100 days before starting immune checkpoint inhibitors lived longer than comparable patients who did not receive the vaccine. A retrospective analysis showed a survival advantage among advanced lung and skin cancer patients; investigators suggest vaccine‑triggered immune activation may augment anti‑tumor responses. Related institutional analyses from the University of Florida and MD Anderson reached similar conclusions, reporting prolonged survival for immunotherapy recipients who also received mRNA vaccines. Researchers cautioned that the findings are observational and called for prospective studies to define mechanisms and optimal timing. The results prompted discussion at ESMO about integrating vaccination timing into oncology care pathways for patients starting immunotherapy.