Objective: to determine the association between the presence of herpes zoster and subsequent relapse or progression in patients with solid tumors Study design: retrospective cohort study in adults with malignant solid tumors, treated at two oncology centers in Bucaramanga between February 2005 and November 2011. A database in EpiInfo 6.04d was created and the information was analyzed in the Stata 11 program. Place of study: two Oncologyc Centers of Bucaramanga. Patients: adults with histopathological diagnosis of malignant solid tumor. Measurements: progression -free and relapse times were determined according to the type of response and exposure. Risks given by sociodemographic and clinical variables were estimated. The incidence of herpes zoster was calculated. Results: 444 patients were included in the partial response group and 824 in the complete response group . There was no association between the presence of herpes zoster and the 2 outcomes of interest: HR for progression of 0.94 (95% CI 0.61 to 1.44), relapse of 0.85 (95% CI 0.46 to 1.55). The mean of the time free of relapse was lower in individuals who had herpes zoster: 57.1 months versus 87.4 months. The cumulative incidence of herpes zoster was 6.02%.