Terri,
As far as I know, you must go to Seattle for all 7 visits. I asked the same question, but it wouldn't hurt to ask again as maybe they changed the protocol.
There are some preliminary tests that are done at your oncologists office to qualify. These include a blood test (which UW paid for) and a MUGA or echo, which they did not pay for. Luckily I was due for one anyway and my insurance paid for it.
In the study I did, there was no virus. It is a plasmid based vaccine:
Study DesignIntradermal administration of 3 doses of a plasmid-based DNA vaccine encoding the ICD of HER2 administered with a fixed dose of GM-CSF.
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The GM-CSF part is a wbc booster, similar to neulasta. But if I remember right, a much smaller dose. The vaccine itself is based a portion of the her2 protein and the hope of the study is that you will have a measurable immune response to this. I asked about toxicity (to heart tissue and others) and they had not seen any yet. But measuring toxicity is part of the study and I started in Jan. 07, so almost two years ago.
I highly encourage anyone interested to contact the study director
Nicole Bates
nbates@u.washington.edu
She is wonderful about getting back to you and answering your questions.