If you’re living with cancer, supporting someone who is, or navigating life after it, there’s already a lot to manage—appointments, side effects, follow-up care, and decisions that aren’t always straightforward. There’s also another important question to consider: what about vaccines?

You might be wondering if it’s safe to get vaccinated during active cancer treatment, whether recommendations change after treatment ends, or how vaccines fit into your longer-term health. You may also be unsure how treatments like chemotherapy or immunotherapy affect when you should get vaccinated.

It’s important to note that “vaccines” in the context of this article refer to respiratory vaccines, such as those for RSV, pneumococcal disease, COVID-19, and the flu—not vaccines that protect against cancer specifically.

The bottom line: Respiratory vaccines can play an important role in helping prevent infections during and after cancer care, but timing, vaccine type, and your individual treatment and immune status all need to be carefully considered.

While specific decisions are best made with your care team, this overview can help give you context as you prepare for those conversations.

Understanding vaccine safety during cancer care

In many cases, vaccination is recommended for people with cancer, but the type of vaccine matters. This is because not all vaccines work in the same way.

For people living with cancer or those with a weakened immune system, there is a notable distinction between live and non-live vaccines:

• Live vaccines: Contain a weakened form of a virus or bacteria. While they are safe for most people, they are usually avoided during cancer treatment because the immune system may not be strong enough to handle even a weakened version. Examples of live vaccines that are typically avoided during cancer treatment include the nasal spray flu vaccine (live attenuated influenza vaccine), measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR), and chickenpox (varicella).
• Inactivated (non-live) vaccines: Do not contain a living virus. Because of this, they cannot cause infection and are more commonly used for people with weakened immune systems. Examples of non-live vaccines that may be recommended include the flu shot; the COVID-19, RSV, and shingles vaccines; and pneumococcal vaccines, which help protect against certain types of pneumonia.

Your care team will recommend options based on your situation, including your type of cancer, your treatment, and your overall health.

Vaccination during cancer treatment

One of the most common questions is whether you can get vaccinated while going through cancer treatment.

In many cases, the answer is yes. Some vaccines may be given before treatment begins, others during treatment, and some after treatment has finished. The timing is usually adjusted to help your immune system respond as well as possible.

During active treatment, your immune system may not respond as strongly. Still, vaccination is useful. Even a partial response may help reduce the risk of severe illness. In some cases, your care team may recommend waiting until a different point in your treatment, as certain therapies can affect how well a vaccine works.

Another concern people often have is whether vaccination could interfere with cancer treatment. Your care team plans these decisions carefully to support both your treatment and your protection from infection.

Your oncology care team can help determine what timing works best for you. You can also check your vaccine eligibility using VaxAssist by Pfizer to help prepare for that conversation with your care team.