Vaccine Boosters Reduce Recurrence of Breast Cancer
 

Vaccine Boosters Reduce Recurrence of Breast Cancer: Presented at SSO


March 18th, 2014


By Nancy A. Melville
PHOENIX, Arizona -- March 18, 2014 -- Adding boosters to the anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) peptide vaccine appears to decrease breast-cancer recurrence, researchers reported at the 67th Annual Cancer Symposium of the Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO).
The recurrence rate was reduced by 62.7% with booster inoculations.
The HER2 vaccine consists of GP2 -- a human leukocyte antigen (HLA) A2-locus-positive restricted immunogenic peptide from the HER2 protein that stimulates CD8-positive T cells to recognise and kill HER2-expressing tumour cells, explained lead author Erica J. Schneble, MD, San Antonio Military Medical Center, San Antonio, Texas, speaking here on March 14.
Data from the GP2-vaccine trial study “suggest that boosting CD8-eliciting, peptide vaccines will optimise their clinical benefit,” Dr. Schneble stated. The boosters have not added toxicity, she noted.
Dr. Schneble and colleagues evaluated 170 patients with HLA-A2+, high-risk breast cancer who were clinically disease-free. The patients had completed the primary vaccine series in the original study more than 6 months prior to the start of the booster study, and were offered a series of 4 booster vaccinations every 6 months (500 mcg GP2 peptide plus granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor).
Among 170 patients who enrolled, which included 88 controls and 82 vaccinated women, 13 had not completed the primary vaccine series, 1 was declared ineligible, 4 had an early recurrence prior to the primary vaccine series completion, and 1 developed a secondary malignancy, leaving 63 patients for evaluation.
At a median of 39 months of follow-up, the patients’ recurrence rate was 5.0%, with 46 patients receiving boosters and 17 not receiving boosters.
The recurrence rate among those receiving boosters was 4.4% compared with 11.8% among those who did not receive boosters (P = .29).
The booster-inoculation safety profile was similar to that observed in the primary vaccination series; delayed urticarial reactions, defined as hypersensitivity reactions generally occurring 9 to 10 days post-inoculation, occurred in 6.5% of patients during the booster series, compared with 4.8% during the primary vaccination series (P = .51).
There were no differences between the booster and non-booster inoculation groups in terms of age, grade, nodal status, tumour size, oestrogen- or progesterone-receptor status, and HER2 expression.
“The GP2 vaccine is safe overall, and the current 5% recurrence rate is half that expected in this population,” the authors concluded.
Disclosure: Co-author George E. Peoples has partial inventor rights to GP2, and would be entitled to financial proceeds if licensed per federal policy.
[Presentation title: The Clinical Benefit and Safety of Boosting the HER2 Peptide Vac-
cine (GP2+GM-CSF) in the Adjuvant Setting to Prevent Breast Cancer Recurrence. Abstract #P6]

Re: Vaccine Boosters Reduce Recurrence of Breast Cancer
 

I'd read many of your post and found them very informative. Do you know if the vaccine is available for stage 3c BC? I'll be finishing with herceptin later this month and based on the results of seen regarding vaccines, I'd like to get one. BTW, I live in sunny san diego also

Thanks
Brenda

Re: Vaccine Boosters Reduce Recurrence of Breast Cancer
 

ThinkPos,

I will be on the lookout for upcoming vaccine trials.

Re: Vaccine Boosters Reduce Recurrence of Breast Cancer
 

I searched clinical trials and found these vaccine trials:

http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/re...=Y&show_flds=Y

Re: Vaccine Boosters Reduce Recurrence of Breast Cancer
 

and from BreastCancerTrials.org

https://www.breastcancertrials.org/b...ch_Operator=OR

Re: Vaccine Boosters Reduce Recurrence of Breast Cancer
 

Great Info as Usual Mister Sister!! Ughh...you lovely ladies living the life in "Sunny San Diego!!" Here I am...good ole' Nebraska...one time when I was standing at "Attention" in the military, this guy behind me asked me something about Nebraska being the place where you "Click your heels..."...of course my response was..."NO, that is Kansas!!!" RIGHT AWAY, I got yelled at by my drill sergeant to drop and "beat my face!!" GEEEZZZ...:(

Re: Vaccine Boosters Reduce Recurrence of Breast Cancer
 

Lizbeth,

Thanks so much for the information on the vaccine! I'm definitely going to check this out.

Re: Vaccine Boosters Reduce Recurrence of Breast Cancer
 

Im not sure if Im doing this correctly. I searched for a way to start a thread. Got a bit lost.

I was asked about AVX901 and knew nothing about it so I did a bit of research. I cant say I understand it well but I think I have the basic concept.

What is used is Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus. It must contain 7 genes. Three of the viral genes are removed and HER2Neu genes are put in the place of these genes. The patient is then infected with this modified virus. The encephalitis disease doesn't occur or is extremely mild. What does occur is a strong host immune reaction against the Her2 gene products producing a T cell attack against the Her2 Neu protein in the cancer cells. It sounds promising butmy knowledge of it is very superficial right now. When I read more Ill understand it better.

Paul

Re: Vaccine Boosters Reduce Recurrence of Breast Cancer
 

Paul,

I click on the forum that I want to post in, this one being Articles of Interest. Click on Forum Tools, and select post a new thread to start your own.