AUTHOR=Jong Hung-Chang , Zheng Jing-Quan , Zheng Cai-Mei , Lin Cheng-Hsin , Chiu Chun-Chih , Hsu Min-Huei , Fang Yu-Ann , Hao Wen-Rui , Chen Chun-Chao , Yang Tsung Yeh , Lee Kang-Yun , Liu Ju-Chi 

TITLE=Effect of Annual Influenza Vaccination on the Risk of Lung Cancer Among Patients With Hypertension: A Population-Based Cohort Study in Taiwan

JOURNAL=International Journal of Public Health

VOLUME=68

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.ssph-journal.org/journals/international-journal-of-public-health/articles/10.3389/ijph.2023.1605370

DOI=10.3389/ijph.2023.1605370

ISSN=1661-8564

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Objectives:</bold> Lung cancer is a main contributor to all newly diagnosed cancers worldwide. The chemoprotective effect of the influenza vaccine among patients with hypertension remains unclear.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> A total of 37,022 patients with hypertension were retrospectively enrolled from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. These patients were further divided into a vaccinated group (<italic>n</italic> = 15,697) and an unvaccinated group (<italic>n</italic> = 21,325).</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> After adjusting for sex, age, comorbidities, medications, level of urbanization and monthly income, vaccinated patients had a significantly lower risk of lung cancer occurrence than unvaccinated patients (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]: 0.56, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.47–0.67). A potential protective effect was observed for both sexes and in the elderly age group. With a greater total number of vaccinations, a potentially greater protective effect was observed (aHR: 0.75, 95% CI 0.60–0.95; aHR: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.53–0.82; aHR: 0.26, 95% CI: 0.19–0.36, after receiving 1, 2–3 and ≥4 vaccinations, respectively).</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> Influenza vaccination was associated with a lower risk of lung cancer among patients with hypertension. The potentially chemoprotective effect appeared to be dose dependent.</p>