Practical vaccination guidelines for children with cancer

The paediatrician or family physician usually provides primary care for children diagnosed with cancer. Immunizations are an important facet of this care, but guidelines for the immunization of these immunocom-promised children are difficult to locate and cumbersome to follow. The authors have developed immunization guidelines for children receiving chemotherapy for cancer that will hopefully facilitate the care of this group of children. Before initiating any immunizations in this group of children, communication with a cancer specialist is recommended. There is little evidence-based literature to support immunization guidelines in immunocompromised hosts; thus, the recommendations presented are derived from the available literature, existing guidelines and expert opinion.