Affiliation:
1. Department of Health Studies University of Richmond Richmond Virginia USA
2. Department of Pediatrics Cedars‐Sinai Medical Center Los Angeles California USA
3. Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Research Center, Cedars‐Sinai Medical Center Los Angeles California USA
4. Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Cedars‐Sinai Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute Los Angeles California USA
Abstract
AbstractBackgroundData are limited and conflicting regarding loss of immunity in childhood cancer survivors who did not undergo hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The purpose of this retrospective, single center study is to provide further data to help build unifying revaccination guidelines post‐chemotherapy in childhood cancer survivors not having undergone hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.MethodsThis retrospective study included 28 childhood cancer survivors, 14 males and 14 females, whose treatment consisted of at least 3 months of chemotherapy and with confirmation of completing their primary vaccination series prior to therapy. The rate of vaccine titer seropositivity for cancer survivors was compared with the expected general population, based on long‐term studies of anti‐body persistence.ResultsDecreased seropositivity for measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, tetanus, and hepatitis B was found in patients across all categories of malignancy compared with the general population. However, tetanus was not statistically significant. Results were more pronounced for those with hematological malignancies.ConclusionsThis study indicates that pediatric cancer survivors, especially those with hematological malignancies, may have greater loss of protective antibodies from primary vaccinations. Further studies are needed to provide guidelines for revaccination of both hematologic malignancies and solid tumor childhood cancer survivors who did not undergo hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.