Cancer patients, immunocompromised people face higher shingles risk

[Photo: Renato Marques]

Cancer patients and people with weakened immune systems face a significantly higher risk of developing shingles and suffering serious complications, medical experts said at a health awareness event.

Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, which remains dormant in the body after a person has had chickenpox. The risk increases with age and when the immune system is weakened.

The medical community highlighted the issue at a shingles prevention press conference organized by Macau Yin Kui Hospital, the Macau Society of Clinical Hematology and the Happyland Association.

The event brought together medical professionals and patients to raise awareness of the disease and encourage early risk assessment and prevention among vulnerable groups.

Risk of serious complications

Yin Kui Hospital dermatologist Dr. Mio Weng Loi said shingles can cause a painful, blistering rash that typically affects one side of the body. In some cases, however, the disease can lead to serious complications, including postherpetic neuralgia, eye complications, encephalitis, stroke and cardiovascular disease.

Severe cases may result in permanent vision loss or become life-threatening, he said.

According to Hong Kong data cited at the event, the medical costs associated with shingles can also be substantial, with the average cost of hospitalization for a shingles patient approaching MOP40,000.

Dr. Yu Ming Seng, vice president of the Macau Society of Clinical Hematology, said cancer patients are particularly vulnerable because cancer can impair cellular immunity, while chemotherapy and steroid treatment can further weaken the body’s defenses.

Studies show that breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy have a shingles risk about 25 times higher than that of the general population. Patients with hematological cancers have been found to face a risk 3.7 to 4.8 times that of the general population.

Shingles can also cause long-term nerve pain and organ damage and may force cancer patients to delay or interrupt treatment, potentially affecting treatment outcomes. Patients who undergo hematopoietic stem cell transplantation are also at increased risk of persistent nerve pain following shingles.

Vaccination urged

Dr. Choi U Kat, a family medicine physician at Macau Yin Kui Hospital, said prevention should include managing chronic conditions, exercising regularly, getting adequate sleep and managing stress.

International health organizations, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, recommend shingles vaccination for adults ages 50 and older and for adults ages 19 and older who are moderately or severely immunocompromised.

The organizers also called for shingles risk assessments to be incorporated into family medicine and chronic disease management, allowing high-risk groups, including cancer and transplant patients, to be identified and protected earlier.