[Influenza vaccination for adult patients with solid malignancies]

Abstract

Seasonal influenza causes annual epidemics with significant morbidity in the general population and important mortality in high-risk groups. Opinions on the suitability of patients with solid tumours in different phases of antineoplastic therapy to receive influenza vaccination vary considerably among oncologists, sometimes even within one center. Consequently, a large number of cancer patients fail to receive influenza vaccination. Recently, the situation has become even more complicated due to the emergence of the new pandemic A/H1N1 ("swine" or "Mexican") influenza. We review current knowledge on the epidemiology of influenza, vaccination recommendations, and the efficacy and toxicity of available influenza vaccines in the population of adult patients with solid malignancies.