One fourth of cancer patients who are over the age of fifty and undergoing radiation therapy did not get their Centers for Disease Control-recommended annual flu vaccination, according to a study presented this week at the American Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology. The study also found that more than one third of cancer patients over the age of sixty-five were not getting the pneumonia vaccine, which is also a CDC guideline. While undergoing radiation therapy, cancer patients have weakened immune systems and are much more likely to acquire and die from the flu or pneumonia. Therefore -- with the exception of those with allergy to flu vaccine or to eggs -- anything less than 100% vaccination rate for both flu and pneumonia is inadequate coverage, and measures should be taken to attain that goal.
But, of course, patients had their reasons for avoiding these lifesaving shots. These included patients believing they didn’t need the vaccines, not knowing about the recommended vaccination guidelines, or not having the vaccine recommended by their physicians. These rationales accounted for 80% of the reasons why patients had not been vaccinated. It is clear that public health practitioners must increase awareness of the importance of flu and pneumonia vaccines amongst those who have cancer and that doctors must educate their patients. Of those patients who did get either of the vaccines, only 44% said they were informed by their family physicians, and an even more disappointing 7% reported that they were informed by their oncologists. Due to the nature of cancer treatment, oncologists have frequent interactions with their patients, and there is no excuse for them to not inform their patients about the lifesaving potential of a flu or pneumonia shot.
Further, we encourage flu shots amongst those who frequently interact with the elderly, namely children and medical staff. Decreasing flu rates in these populations undoubtedly decreases flu rates in the vulnerable elderly.
Krystal Wilson is a research intern at the American Council on Science and Health (ACSH.org, HealthFactsAndFears.com).
