HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - My Opinion of the Biggest Highlights of SABCS

Becky · 12-19-2006, 07:33 PM

E75 Vaccine trial

This trial only enrolled Her 2+ women who were NOT stage 4. The women could also be node negative. It is truly trying to prevent metastatic disease.
Women were tested for whether they are HLA 2A+ or negative. Apparently being + has something to do with immunity and could imply a worse prognosis of disease. HLA 2A neg women are the only ones who can receive this vaccine because of how the vaccine is made, therefore, when you are tested, if you are +, you automatically get assigned to the control group.

You are vaccinated once a month for 6 months and get a booster 6 months after that. This study showed that the vaccine could reduce recurrence by 50% but that ended up not being statistical right before SABCS because of a late recurrence in one of the women (because of trial number of patients was small). Also, remember, the women with what is deemed the worst prognosis were the control group (and this fact was well noted and SAID by Eric Winer). So... they really need a large Phase 3 as this study showed the dose needed to get an immune response. Secondly, Dr. Hudis also commented on this study personally to me. He said all this study showed is that a temporary immune response can be shown. His fear is if you truly vaccinate against Her2, will it attack the heart (as Herceptin does) and that is not something you can shut off. He would prefer a target that is unique to bc cells only. We'll see.

I will go over my poster notes and poster abstracts and get some more on the board soon (within a week) but wanted to clue all of you in on the highlights because we went there for you

12-19-2006, 07:33 PM	#3
Becky Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Stockton, NJ Posts: 4,179	Last of the Highlights of Presentations E75 Vaccine trial This trial only enrolled Her 2+ women who were NOT stage 4. The women could also be node negative. It is truly trying to prevent metastatic disease. Women were tested for whether they are HLA 2A+ or negative. Apparently being + has something to do with immunity and could imply a worse prognosis of disease. HLA 2A neg women are the only ones who can receive this vaccine because of how the vaccine is made, therefore, when you are tested, if you are +, you automatically get assigned to the control group. You are vaccinated once a month for 6 months and get a booster 6 months after that. This study showed that the vaccine could reduce recurrence by 50% but that ended up not being statistical right before SABCS because of a late recurrence in one of the women (because of trial number of patients was small). Also, remember, the women with what is deemed the worst prognosis were the control group (and this fact was well noted and SAID by Eric Winer). So... they really need a large Phase 3 as this study showed the dose needed to get an immune response. Secondly, Dr. Hudis also commented on this study personally to me. He said all this study showed is that a temporary immune response can be shown. His fear is if you truly vaccinate against Her2, will it attack the heart (as Herceptin does) and that is not something you can shut off. He would prefer a target that is unique to bc cells only. We'll see. I will go over my poster notes and poster abstracts and get some more on the board soon (within a week) but wanted to clue all of you in on the highlights because we went there for you __________________ Kind regards Becky Found lump via BSE Diagnosed 8/04 at age 45 1.9cm tumor, ER+PR-, Her2 3+(rt side) 2 micromets to sentinel node Stage 2A left 3mm DCIS - low grade ER+PR+Her2 neg lumpectomies 9/7/04 4DD AC followed by 4 DD taxol Used Leukine instead of Neulasta 35 rads on right side only 4/05 started Tamoxifen Started Herceptin 4 months after last Taxol due to trial results and 2005 ASCO meeting & recommendations Oophorectomy 8/05 Started Arimidex 9/05 Finished Herceptin (16 months) 9/06 Arimidex Only Prolia every 6 months for osteopenia NED 18 years! Said Christopher Robin to Pooh: "You must remember this: You're braver than you believe and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think"