Influenza Immunization of Adult Patients with Malignant Diseases

Abstract

To characterize the immunogenicity of influenza vaccine in patients with malignant disease, 21 patients with lymphoreticular neoplasms and 21 patients with solid tumors were immunized with inactivated influenza A/New Jersey/76 whole virus vaccine. The patients were randomized with respect to time of vaccine administration in relation to administration of chemotherapy. Fourfold or greater antibody titer increases occurred in 94% of controls and 71% of cancer patients (P less than 0.05), and the magnitude of antibody response was also significantly lower in cancer patients (P less than 0.01). There was no correlation of antibody responsiveness with sex, age, tumor type, absolute lymphocyte count, disease status, or type of chemotherapeutic agent used. Fifty percent of patients immunized at the time of chemotherapy administration showed seroconversion, which is significantly less than the 93% response rate observed in patients immunized between chemotherapy courses. It is thus recommended that individuals with malignant disease should receive influenza immunization between chemotherapy courses.

Seroconversion after influenza vaccination in patients with lung cancer

“…He looked at 82 patients with different malignancies, only 14 had lung cancer. Ortbals et al (1977) studied 42 patients who received whole virus vaccine of whom 21 had solid tumours and one had lung cancer. The most interesting result of this study was data showing a 50% response rate if patients were vaccinated at the time of chemotherapy but a 93% response rate if they were vaccinated between courses of chemotherapy.…”

Efficacy of single versus boost vaccination against influenza virus in patients with multiple myeloma

“…This was unexpected, as previous studies suggested an adverse impact of chemotherapy, 3,11 but a beneficial effect of immunomodulatory therapy 12 on vaccine effectiveness. Our finding may be due to the overall low number of subjects in the study and the heterogeneity of the population.…”

Efficacy of the Influenza Vaccine in Patients with Malignant Lymphoma

“…In particular, lymphoreticular malignancies are inherently immunosuppressive and the patient's immune system is often further compromised by advanced age and aggressive chemotherapy regimens. [17][18][19][20][21][22][23] In this study we enrolled 29 patients with a diagnosis of malignant lymphoma (Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma) who were being treated with standard chemotherapy regimens or who had completed their chemotherapy within 3 months prior to receiving the influenza vaccine. Influenza antibody titers to the three antigens that constitute the vaccine were measured in each subject prior to administration of the vaccine and at various intervals thereafter to determine efficacy.…”