Vaccinations in children with cancer.
Children with cancer may be immunocompromised as a result of their primary underlying disease and/or the use of prolonged and intensive chemotherapy administered with or without irradiation. The damage to the immune system varies with the age of the patient, the type of cancer, and the intensity of the chemotherapy used to treat it. This review analyses the data regarding the immunogenicity, efficacy, safety and tolerability of the vaccines usually recommended in the first years of life in order to help pediatricians choose the best immunisation programme against vaccine-preventable disease in children with cancer receiving standard-dose chemotherapy. Areas for future research are highlighted because new data are required to be able to draw up evidence-based recommendations that will ensure adequate protection against infectious diseases in such high-risk children.
Department of Maternal and Pediatric Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via Commenda 9, 20122 Milano, Italy.
Susanna
S
Esposito
Valerio
V
Cecinati
Letizia
L
Brescia
Nicola
N
Principi
D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D014611:Vaccination / Q000379:methods*; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*
D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D014765:Viral Vaccines