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Julie, that's the million dollar question! UW has data from a 1996 trial of Stage 4 women showing a five year survival rate of 39%, which is pretty remarkable given that the 5 year survival rate for Stage 4 is historically around 10%. We also have Herceptin going for us now, so those of us in the vaccine trial which allows Herceptin use are hoping to up those statistics.
As far as blood work to gage the actual immune response to the vaccine, my understanding is that I'll be followed for a year with blood draws, then an annual questionnaire regarding my health status will be sent to my oncologist.
I hope to enroll in future vaccine studies at UW, and in this way will perhaps have a more specific understanding of how my immune system has responded to the vaccine over time.
<3,
Lolly
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