PCV13 Vaccine Safe for Immunosuppressed Children with Cancer

A single dose of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) is safe and effective for children undergoing immunosuppressive treatment for cancer, according to a recent study.

The prospective cohort study included 85 children between 1 and 18 years of age who were receiving active immunosuppressive therapy (AIT) or were within 12 months of completing immunosuppressive therapy (CIT). All patients received a single-dose PCV13. Blood samples were taken before vaccination and 4 weeks after to measure serotype-specific immunoglobulin G antibody titers. In addition, adverse effects were recorded by patients in a 7-day diary post-vaccination.
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At baseline, less than 50% of the children had antibody titers against Streptococcus pneumoniae for 10 serotypes in the AIT group and for 8 in the CIT group. Protective antibody titers increased to 70% or more post-vaccination in the AIT and CIT groups (9 serotypes and 11 serotypes, respectively). 

Responses to the PCV7 serotypes were comparable in both groups, but a significantly higher proportion of patients in the CIT group achieved protective antibody titers to PCV13 serotypes.  The rate of serious adverse events was low at 3.5%.

“A single-dose of PCV13 is safe and immunogenic in children diagnosed with cancer. All children who are receiving therapy for cancer should receive a single dose of PCV13 as soon as possible after diagnosis, regardless of prior PCV exposure,” the researchers concluded.

“The current data support the recommendation for an additional dose of PCV13 after the completion of immunosuppressive therapy to provide additional protection against invasive pneumococcal disease.”

—Melissa Weiss

Reference:

Hung TY, Kotecha RS, Blyth CC, et al. Immunogenicity and safety of single-dose, 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in pediatric and adolescent oncology patients [published online July 11, 2017]. Cancer. doi:10.1002/cncr.30764.