Vaccination Policies and the Impact on Cancer Patients

Vaccinations are an essential part of care for people with cancer and their families. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) advocates for science-based policies that improve access to vaccines that prevent and treat cancer as well as protect people living with cancer.

Vaccines, also called immunizations or vaccinations, are used to help a person’s immune system recognize and fight off harmful germs, and more recently to fight cancer. Vaccines are often made up of a weakened or killed (inactivated) part of the germ, or messenger RNA (mRNA), which is a type of genetic material found in cells. When the vaccine enters the body, it helps the immune system learn how to fight off the germ or cancer, without causing the disease.

When people are vaccinated, they protect themselves and their community. When enough people in the community are vaccinated against a disease, it is harder for the disease to spread. Community immunity protects everyone. Community immunity is especially important for protecting people with cancer, who may have weakened immune systems, and people like babies or the elderly who may not have a strong immune response to vaccines.