title: The comparison of antibody response to different hepatitis b vaccines with and without pre-S2 antigen in children with cancer.
abstract: Children with cancer are at an increased risk of hepatitis B infection and chronic liver disease. Since hepatitis B vaccines containing pre-S2 antigen has been recently reported as being more efficient in providing immunization in healthy individuals, the authors compared antibody response to pre-S2-containing vaccine with no-pre-S2-containing hepatitis B vaccine, when given in double doses to 100 children receiving chemotherapy. Patients, aged 1 to 16 years with negative HBV serology, were vaccinated with 2 different types of HBV vaccines between 1997 and 1999. Group 1 received Gen Hevac B containing pre-S2 (n = 41) in a dose of 20 microg for patients younger than 10 years old and 40 microg for older patients. Group 2 was vaccinated at the same dose with hepatitis B vaccines not containing pre-S2 antigen. All vaccinations were repeated at 0, 1, and 6 months. Serum samples were drawn for determination of anti-HBs titers at 1, 3, 6, and 8 months. After the third dose of vaccine, the seroconversion rate was 72% in group 1 and 62% in group 2. The anti-HBs levels were higher in the group receiving pre-S2-containing hepatitis B vaccine. However, the difference between groups was not statistically significant (p > .05). The administration of pre-S2-containing hepatitis B vaccines may give a better seroconversion and higher antibody response to vaccination in children with cancer. But a further large-scale study is needed to confirm this finding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. emirs@ttnet.net.tr
authors.forename: Suna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Emir
authors.forename: Münevver
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Büyükpamuk
authors.forename: Canan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Akyüz
authors.forename: Tezer
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kutluk
authors.forename: Elif
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Güler
authors.forename: Kudret
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cağlar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D007223:Infant; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000276:immunology*; D012698:Serologic Tests; D014611:Vaccination; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: C075654:Engerix-B; C081791:Gen-H-B-Vax; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D011498:Protein Precursors; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; C050807:presurface protein 2, hepatitis B surface antigen