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Pharmacy Links

AFTER CANCER: VACCINATION. PNEUMONIA SHOT. FLU VACCINE

March 12, 2009

Why Is the Timing of Vaccination Important?

The timing of the administration of vaccines is important for several reasons:

•Your body must be able to mount an immune response to the vaccine in order for it to be effective. If a vaccine is given too soon after cancer therapy, your body may not mount an effective response.

• It takes a few weeks after vaccination to build up immunity. If you are vaccinated just prior to exposure to the illness, your body may not have had enough time to build an effective immunity.

•The resultant immunity lasts for a specified length of time. For short-lived vaccine-induced immunity, the timing of the administration of the vaccine should be such that your peak immunity will occur at the expected time of exposure to illness. If you are vaccinated too early before exposure, your immunity may have waned and become less effective when you need it.

Do I Need a Pneumonia Shot?

The pneumonia vaccine is a safe and effective vaccine that helps build your immunity to the most common cause of pneumonia, the pneumococcus. You are a candidate for the pneumonia vaccine if you

•are sixty-five or older

• have diabetes

• have chronic lung disease

• have kidney failure

•are taking drugs that suppress your immune system

• have multiple myeloma

If you are in close contact with those who need the pneumonia vaccine (flatmates, children, other close associates) ask your doctor about also getting vaccinated. This will minimize the chance that a contact person will bring the infection to a person at risk.

Receiving the pneumonia vaccine does not guarantee that you will never get pneumonia. It merely offers some protection against the most common cause of pneumonia. You can still develop pneumonia from one of the many other causes of pneumonia not covered by the vaccine.

Do I Need a Flu Vaccine?

In general, it is a good idea to minimize your chance of getting sick, including catching the flu (influenza). After cancer treatment, there are additional physical and emotional benefits to preventing illness such as influenza. If you do not have a history of egg allergy or some other reason for not taking it, you should probably receive the flu vaccine. Discuss with your doctor the risks to you of influenza.

When large numbers of people receive the flu vaccine, it is effective in decreasing the overall incidence and severity of flu in the group. But many factors determine how effective the flu vaccine is for each individual. Taking the flu vaccine does not guarantee that you will not get the flu.

The flu vaccine is given every autumn, around April, to those who need it. It is also available to people who simply hope to avoid the inconvenience of the flu (workers and homemakers for whom a few days “out of commission” would be a hardship).

Flu vaccines protect for only one season. You need to be revaccinated in every year in which you wish to boost your immunity to influenza.

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