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Hi Esther; from my understanding, being a responder means the vaccine is stimulating my immune system to develop antibodies to the HER2 positive cancer cells, and hopefully these antibodies are attacking the cancer and therefore helping Herceptin to keep it under control. Time will tell.
I don't know what % of the current trial participants are responding, I will try to remember to ask next time I'm there, but I don't know if they can give that information yet.
However, the data from the 1996 group of Stage IV participants taking this same vaccine but WITHOUT Herceptin show a 38% survival rate which is generating a lot of excitement at UW and elsewhere, as survival stats for Stage IV disease are historically around 10%.
I hope this is helpful, are you considering enrolling in this trial? If so, best of luck, let me know if I can be of any help.
<3,
Lolly
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