Swiss doctors have named a group of people who should be cautious about getting regular flu vaccinations, even to the point of refusing them. This is reported by the European Society of Medical Oncology.
Experts have shown that patients with lung cancer treated with inhibitors of immune checkpoint PD-L1, after vaccination against influenza increases the risk of adverse effects associated with the functioning of the immune system.
The most common complications were skin rash and arthritis (13 percent each), colitis and encephalitis (8.7 percent each), as well as hypothyroidism, pneumonitis and neuropathy (4.3 percent each).
Scientists came to similar conclusions after observing 23 patients, whose average age was 58.7 years. They were all vaccinated with the trivalent influenza vaccine (it contains influenza A (H3N2), pandemic A (H1N1) and influenza B from one of the two lines) and were treated with PD-L1 inhibitors. An abnormal incidence of adverse events was observed in six patients.
The authors currently recommend that clinicians take the decision to vaccinate against influenza for patients undergoing PD-L1 inhibitor therapy on a case-by-case basis. Scientists plan to work out the final position on this issue by conducting a study with a large number of participants.
