Inclusion Criteria:
- Patients must have biopsy-confirmed non-hematological malignancy
- Patients must be scheduled to receive cytotoxic chemotherapy (adjuvant or metastatic
setting), excluding immunotherapy
- Patients must be of age >=18 years.
- Patients must have an absolute lymphocyte count >= 1,000/mcL immediately prior to
influenza vaccination
- Ability of the patient (or legally authorized representative if applicable) to
understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document
Exclusion Criteria:
- Patients who have already received the influenza vaccine during the season in which
they are considered for eligibility will be excluded
- History of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic
composition to the influenza vaccine or egg allergies
- Previous history of Guillian-Barre syndrome within the previous 6 weeks to influenza
vaccination
- Patients must not be receiving chronic steroid therapy, defined as >= 14 days, unless
used as part of a chemotherapy regimen
- Patients must not be on any other agents that can suppress the immune system
- Planned concurrent therapy with radiation
- Uncontrolled illness at time of enrollment or influenza vaccination including, but
not limited to, ongoing or active febrile illness
- Psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study
requirements
- Known immunosuppression eg. history of organ transplantation or known human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients on combination antiretroviral therapy
are ineligible because they may not be able to mount an appropriate immune response
- History of influenza-like illness, defined as a temperature > 37.8 degree C with
cough or sore throat starting October 1, 2011 throughout the duration of the study
- Patient may not be scheduled to receive chemotherapy on a weekly basis.