Serological failure of Pseudomonas vaccination in patients receiving multiple chemotherapy

Patients undergoing induction chemotherapy for malignant disease were immunized with a polyvalent Pseudomonas vaccine using a three or four dose schedule. A control group was immunized with a two dose schedule. Despite the more intensive administration of vaccine to the patients they produce a markedly subnormal and brief antibody response. A large clinical trial of this vaccine in patients with cancer seems unjustified in light of these data.