New Study Finds Flu Vaccine Doesn’t Benefit Leukemia Patients

Young patients who were being treated for acute leukemia at the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital were vaccinated against the influenza virus but failed to respond to treatment. The hospital released the results of the study earlier this week through the Journal of Pediatrics, confirming that patients who received flu shots and those who did not have almost identical rates of developing flu.

“This is preliminary data. The annual flu shot, whose side effects are generally mild and short-lived, is still recommended for patients with acute leukemia who are being treated for their disease,” said lead author Dr. Elisabeth Adderson of the St. Jude Department of Infectious Diseases. She said, however, that the results of the recent study highlight the need for more research in the area.

The researchers particularly examined the medical records of acute leukemia patients of St. Jude Hospital during the 2011-2012, 2012-2013, and 2013-2014 flu seasons. After a thorough review of their cases, it was found that there was actually no significant difference in the rates of confirmed flu illnesses among patients who were vaccinated and those who were not. In short, the booster vaccine dose received by the patients did not have any direct relationship with the reduction of flu, neither did it delay the onset of the illness.

The findings reinforce how important hand washing is in protecting vulnerable patients from influenza infections. The study also recommended that at-risk patients like cancer patients avoid crowds during the flu season. It also recommended the process of “cocooning,” where family members and health care providers who regularly come in close contact with cancer patients get vaccinated against the influenza virus.

In other cancer news, the annual “Race for the Cure” against breast cancer was held in Little Rock, Arkansas over the weekend, drawing around 15,000 people. On its first year, the annual fund-raising event was able to raise more than half a million dollars with 4,000 participants.