Published Jan 11, 2020

Cancer Treatment During the Cold Winter Months — What You Need to Know About the Risks

For compromised immune systems, it's more important than ever to get a flu shot -- and to bundle up.

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As we enter the post-holiday months of freezing cold winter, it’s important to those being treated for cancer to consider how the cold might affect them, and whether they need to take any special precautions during their illness.

While there’s not a dramatic difference between survivors and the population at large — everyone needs to take extra steps when the temperature drops — doctors tell SurvivorNet that some in treatment might experience side effects when exposed to the cold.

Increased Sensitivity

For people going through cancer treatment, one concerns is increased sensitivity.

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“There are certain chemotherapies that make individuals very sensitive in the cold,” Dr. Anne Blaes, associate professor of Medicine, Division of Hematology, Oncology and Transplantation at the University of Minnesota, told SurvivorNet. Oxaliplatin, especially, she says, could cause this reaction.

Dr. Dendy Engelman, a board certified dermatologic surgeon and associate at Manhattan Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery, on why you still need to protect your skin in the winter.

“With this cold sensitivity, patients can get tremendous tingling and pain in fingertips and toes [and] a lot of sensitivity around their mouth and throat,” says Dr. Blaes. “These symptoms typically go away in the warmer air, but can be hard when patients are outside.”

Risk of Infection

Doctors tell SurvivorNet that one of the major risks of wintertime actually comes from the extended hours spent indoors.

“When it’s cold, people tend to stay inside and are therefore confined closer together, so respiratory infections including influenza spread more widely,” Dr. John Glaspy, a professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), tells SurvivorNet. “And patients receiving chemotherapy are more vulnerable to these infections.”

Taking Action: Get the Flu Shot

Dr. Sarah Cate, assistant professor of Surgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, tells SurvivorNet that the flu shot and staying away from sick people are really important.

“[Cancer patients] should all get the flu vaccine and avoid people who are ill,” says Dr. Cate.

Should You Get the Flu Shot During Cancer Treatment?

The flu poses greater risks to patients with cancer, making it a really good idea to get vaccinated this fall.
Experts tell SurvivorNet that it's safer to get the "shot" version of the vaccine not the "mist."
You can't actually get the flu from the flu shot, but you may feel run down for a few days as your body's immune system responds to the shot.

There are actually two different types of flu vaccines available, and one is better for cancer patients than the other:

The "shot," which is administered through a needle in someone's arm, and is technically an "inactive" version of the flu virus
The "mist," which is given as a nasal spray, and provides a "live" version of the virus.

Patients with cancer should only get the flu shot, the inactive vaccine, as opposed to the nasal spray, the live vaccine, Dr. Jessica Geiger, a medical oncologist at the Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center, told SurvivorNet in prior interview.

Patients with compromised immune systems should make sure that their family members and close friends get vaccinated, too, Dr. Geiger said, adding that it's a good idea for them to stick with the shot version as well.

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

Zara Sternberg is a journalist and writer for SurvivorNet. Read More

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