Most Cancer Patients Can Receive Flu and Pneumococcal Vaccines
The recent wave of influenza A (H1N1) has caused severe illness and even death in many patients with underlying conditions, and some of the deceased were quite young. In fact, influenza causes some patients to die every year; it is just that this recent round has been a bit more severe.
I have been urging cancer patients to get the flu vaccine and the pneumococcal vaccine, because cancer patients have somewhat weaker immunity, a higher risk of contracting influenza, and a higher risk of severe illness or death after infection than the general population. But unfortunately, many cancer patients are afraid of getting the flu and pneumococcal vaccines, because rumors circulate in the cancer community that cancer patients are not suitable for receiving various vaccines.
Such rumors have no scientific basis. Cancer patients who receive the flu vaccine, the pneumococcal vaccine and some vaccines against epidemic infectious diseases can protect themselves better. One only needs to pay some attention to the choice of vaccine: cancer patients are better suited to the inactivated influenza vaccine, and it is best to receive it once a year. They should avoid live attenuated vaccines (such as the nasal-spray flu vaccine); such live attenuated vaccines are not suitable for cancer patients, nor for other immunocompromised patients. When cancer patients receive the pneumococcal vaccine, they should first receive the 13-valent vaccine, and after an interval of 8 weeks receive the 23-valent vaccine; this method of administration does more good than harm.
Vaccination is less effective during chemotherapy or radiotherapy, so cancer patients should avoid vaccination during chemoradiotherapy and may choose to be vaccinated before or after chemoradiotherapy. In addition, family members of cancer patients should also actively receive the flu and pneumococcal vaccines, as this can reduce the risk of the cancer patient at home contracting influenza and pneumonia.
Only cancer patients who are allergic to vaccines are unsuitable for vaccination, but such people are only a small minority. Ordinary people without cancer also have vaccine allergies, and the proportion of cancer patients allergic to vaccines is not higher than that of non-cancer patients. The average cancer patient should not resist vaccination because of this erroneous, rumor-based idea.
If cancer patients are not vaccinated and once they contract a severe cold or pneumonia, treatment is far more difficult and the cost of treatment far higher than for ordinary people. The risk of death after cancer patients contract a cold or pneumonia is also higher than for non-cancer patients. Therefore, for the sake of your own life safety and health, fellow cancer patients, provided there are no contraindications to vaccination, please actively get the flu and pneumococcal vaccines. It reduces worries for yourself and your family, and also reduces financial pressure — why would you not do it?