I had an auto STC in 2010 and then went through a year and a half of getting childhood immunizations. I didn't develop antibodies. I'm wondering if I should try again. My oncologist thinks I should try hepatitis again, and I think I should try Tdap, but my internist is skeptical. Did anyone else have this experience?
Thanks!
Dana
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darnold - Name: Dana Arnold
- Who do you know with myeloma?: self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: May 2009
- Age at diagnosis: 52
Re: Immunizations after STC
Hi Dana, I have also had all of the immunizations available to patients post stem cell transplant, but was not tested for the effectiveness of them. I think it is always wise for us to be cautious now when thinking about situations where we might be confronted with infectious diseases.
Some of my vaccines also had 'booster' shots given...my dtap was in three doses; also polio/IPV and Hep B and HipB. The MMR, Meningococcal and Pneumoccal, as well as varicella were given in two doses. The seasonal flu shot is given to me once a year.
I did feel really well immunized and we are also protected by the 'herd' effect of others around us in our communities having also been vaccinated.
But if your oncologist wants you to repeat a shot or two, would there be any harm in that? Perhaps the public health clinic dep't that does transplant vaccines would know.
One thing that I think is somewhat related to this question is the development of antibody type treatments for multiple myeloma. Antibodies are given on an ongoing basis to attach to various protein types found on myeloma cells, such as CD38. I asked a researcher if this was similar to getting a vaccination, but he said that many patients are not able to produce a response to the antibody, ie. to produce more antibodies on their own. That is why the antibody type treatments have to be given continuously, and are not considered to be the same as vaccines.
Some of my vaccines also had 'booster' shots given...my dtap was in three doses; also polio/IPV and Hep B and HipB. The MMR, Meningococcal and Pneumoccal, as well as varicella were given in two doses. The seasonal flu shot is given to me once a year.
I did feel really well immunized and we are also protected by the 'herd' effect of others around us in our communities having also been vaccinated.
But if your oncologist wants you to repeat a shot or two, would there be any harm in that? Perhaps the public health clinic dep't that does transplant vaccines would know.
One thing that I think is somewhat related to this question is the development of antibody type treatments for multiple myeloma. Antibodies are given on an ongoing basis to attach to various protein types found on myeloma cells, such as CD38. I asked a researcher if this was similar to getting a vaccination, but he said that many patients are not able to produce a response to the antibody, ie. to produce more antibodies on their own. That is why the antibody type treatments have to be given continuously, and are not considered to be the same as vaccines.
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Nancy Shamanna - Name: Nancy Shamanna
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Self and others too
- When were you/they diagnosed?: July 2009
Re: Immunizations after STC
Thanks, Nancy. Most of my immunizations were in a series, too, following a protocol for post SCT developed by one of the Seattle cancer centers. (My oncologist had a patient who had the transplant in Seattle, so he had the protocol.) The end of the vaccine series is the chicken pox vaccine, followed by testing to see if there are antibodies. When I didn't have antibodies to chicken pox (which I had had as a child), my oncologist tested me for hepatitis antibodies. I didn't have those either, so I received another hepatitis B booster.
Like you, I get a flu shot every year and hope that it is working. I have staff with young children and have asked them to warn me if any of the kids develop chicken pox. So far, so good.
I was on Revlimid as a maintenance drug while I received the vaccines. I had a hard time handling it. We took me off of drugs other than Zometa this past January and are now watching. I think my oncologist wants to try at least some of the vaccines again now that I'm off the Revlimid.
Dana
Like you, I get a flu shot every year and hope that it is working. I have staff with young children and have asked them to warn me if any of the kids develop chicken pox. So far, so good.
I was on Revlimid as a maintenance drug while I received the vaccines. I had a hard time handling it. We took me off of drugs other than Zometa this past January and are now watching. I think my oncologist wants to try at least some of the vaccines again now that I'm off the Revlimid.
Dana
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darnold - Name: Dana Arnold
- Who do you know with myeloma?: self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: May 2009
- Age at diagnosis: 52
Re: Immunizations after STC
Hi Dana, My vaccinations were given after the green light from our cancer centre. There is a unit for transplant vaccinations at our public health clinic...all sorts of transplant patients get re-vaccinated, including kidney transplant patients (I found that interesting).
At the time I was getting vaccinated, an article came out in the Beacon about how it is thought that Revlimid may actually enhance the action of vaccines. I emailed a copy to the nurse in charge of giving vaccines. So although I wasn't tested for the effect of the vaccines, I pretty much assumed that if my system was capable of getting an immune response, I am protected now! And am glad to say that I haven't had any of the diseases vaccinatied against. i would worry about hepatitis and also tetanus.
But of course you have more direct scientific proof of that, even if it is not all that reassuring. Hope the re-vaccination would help.
The Beacon article was from Feb. 29 2012...the first paragraphs I cut and paste below.....
Revlimid May Boost Vaccine Responses In Multiple Myeloma Patients
2 Comments By Melissa Cobleigh
Published: Feb 29, 2012 2:15 pm
Results of a small study recently conducted at Johns Hopkins University indicate that Revlimid may boost vaccine responses in multiple myeloma patients.
Based on these results, the researchers who organized the study believe Revlimid could be used as part of a strategy to increase immune responses against both cancer and infectious diseases.
The researchers also argue that Revlimid may help reduce infections in myeloma patients being treated with the drug. Infections are an important challenge for myeloma patients due to the immune system dysfunction that develops during the course of the disease.
Furthermore, immune-based therapies (such as vaccines) are currently a growing area of development in myeloma research (see related Beacon news). As such, the Johns Hopkins researchers suggest that the enhanced anti-myeloma responses generated by Revlimid may be beneficial in these therapies.
Revlimid (lenalidomide) is classified as an immunomodulatory agent because it is able to stimulate immune responses and inhibit inflammation.
Previous research has shown that Revlimid can boost immune responses when administered to myeloma patients (see related Beacon news).
At the time I was getting vaccinated, an article came out in the Beacon about how it is thought that Revlimid may actually enhance the action of vaccines. I emailed a copy to the nurse in charge of giving vaccines. So although I wasn't tested for the effect of the vaccines, I pretty much assumed that if my system was capable of getting an immune response, I am protected now! And am glad to say that I haven't had any of the diseases vaccinatied against. i would worry about hepatitis and also tetanus.
But of course you have more direct scientific proof of that, even if it is not all that reassuring. Hope the re-vaccination would help.
The Beacon article was from Feb. 29 2012...the first paragraphs I cut and paste below.....
Revlimid May Boost Vaccine Responses In Multiple Myeloma Patients
2 Comments By Melissa Cobleigh
Published: Feb 29, 2012 2:15 pm
Results of a small study recently conducted at Johns Hopkins University indicate that Revlimid may boost vaccine responses in multiple myeloma patients.
Based on these results, the researchers who organized the study believe Revlimid could be used as part of a strategy to increase immune responses against both cancer and infectious diseases.
The researchers also argue that Revlimid may help reduce infections in myeloma patients being treated with the drug. Infections are an important challenge for myeloma patients due to the immune system dysfunction that develops during the course of the disease.
Furthermore, immune-based therapies (such as vaccines) are currently a growing area of development in myeloma research (see related Beacon news). As such, the Johns Hopkins researchers suggest that the enhanced anti-myeloma responses generated by Revlimid may be beneficial in these therapies.
Revlimid (lenalidomide) is classified as an immunomodulatory agent because it is able to stimulate immune responses and inhibit inflammation.
Previous research has shown that Revlimid can boost immune responses when administered to myeloma patients (see related Beacon news).
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Nancy Shamanna - Name: Nancy Shamanna
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Self and others too
- When were you/they diagnosed?: July 2009
Re: Immunizations after STC
Thank you!
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darnold - Name: Dana Arnold
- Who do you know with myeloma?: self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: May 2009
- Age at diagnosis: 52
Re: Immunizations after STC
I had my titres tested a few years after my transplant. My oncologist does not recomend getting your shots again. All my my titres were fine for what they tested. I did go ahead and get hepatitis twinrix shots as I had never had them. She siad my response may not be optimal, but something is better then nothing. (I travel a few times a year)
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lys2012 - Name: Alyssa
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 2010, Toronto, Canada
- Age at diagnosis: 32
6 posts
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