6th November 2020
People living with cancer or undergoing cancer treatment are often immunosuppressed and at higher risk of catching the flu. After cancer treatment, a patient’s resistance to infection might be low for some months or years. It is recommended that a patient has the flu vaccine if they have had one of the following treatments:
- Chemotherapy
- Radiotherapy
- Some targeted cancer drugs
- Some immunotherapy treatments
- Long-term steroids
- Removal of the spleen
Alternative consideration should be given to patients who:
- Are allergic to egg
- Have had a reaction to a vaccine previously
- Are children, who may normally be offered the vaccine as a nasal spray (containing a live, but weakened form of the vaccine). The vaccine injection, which does not contain live virus, may be more appropriate if a child has cancer and a very weakened immune system
To learn more, watch this video with Dr Adrian Bloor:
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