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 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. Four-fold or greater antibody titer increases occurred in 94% of controls and 71% of cancer patients (P < 0.05), and the magnitude of antibody response was also significantly lower in cancer patients (P < 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. Of patients immunized at the time of chemotherapy administration, 50% showed seroconversion, which is significantly less than the 93% response rate observed in patients immunized between chemotherapy courses. It is recommended that individuals with malignant disease should receive influenza immunization between chemotherapy courses.