A trial looking at a vaccine to prevent shingles in people with solid tumours having chemotherapy

This trial is looking at a new vaccine called HZ/su to prevent shingles in people having chemotherapy to treat any cancer apart from a blood cancer (a solid tumour).

Doctors often use chemotherapy to treat people with cancer. A side effect of chemotherapy is a drop in blood cells. The white blood cells are a part of the body’s immune system that fights infections. A drop in white blood cells can increase your risk of getting an infection.

Shingles is a virus that affects the nerves and can travel along the nerve to the skin, causing a painful rash. Because of their low levels of white blood cells, people having chemotherapy are at a greater risk of developing shingles. The HZ/su vaccine may help these people.

The vaccine consists of an inactive part of the virus that causes shingles with a substance that helps the body strengthen its defence against shingles. We know from research that the vaccine can help the body’s immune system make antibodies against shingles. This is called an immune response.

The aims of this trial are to find out:

• How good the immune response to the HZ/su vaccine is for people with solid tumours having chemotherapy

• How safe the vaccine is for these people