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Mickey,
The vaccine in PA takes partients who are A2 and A3. Please find the qualifications below:
Please find general information regarding the E75 Peptide breast cancer vaccine trials that Walter Reed Army Medical Center has been conducting. We have been approved to offer the vaccine to civilians who meet necessary screening criteria. You may qualify to be screened for the Node Positive trial. This is a Phase Ib trial, which means that dose scheduling and adverse effects are being closely monitored. To date, the vaccine has been well tolerated, and early findings were reported at the American College of Surgeons in October 2003. Please feel free to discuss this with your oncologist or surgeon. For initial screening, the following medical records and/or candidate status verification will be required:
• copy of tumor pathology report, including lymph node results
• tumor must express Her2Neu protein (status in pathology report)
• surgical report
• clinic records that verify that you are currently without evidence of disease
• any scan or x-ray reports done after your surgery to verify no evidence of disease
• records verifying completed chemotherapy and/or radiation treatment
• complete blood count and comprehensive metabolic panel within last six months
• urine pregnancy test, if applicable
• no prior treatment with Herceptin (this exclusion will be dropped for those enrolling after December 2004)
• no participation in other breast cancer trials
• no autoimmune disorders
In order to determine if you have a necessary blood antigen type that will allow your body to “recognize” the E75 peptide, it will be necessary to have a blood draw for HLA-A2 or A3. If you do not have either of these blood proteins, you will be assigned to the observation group and will not be eligible to receive the vaccine. That test is drawn here and sent to Walter Reed. Results are usually available the next day. Any tests or supplies directly related to the vaccine program are at no cost to the participants if done here at the Joyce Murtha Center. However, if you wish to have this test done in your locale, this can be done, but it would be at your own expense.
I look forward to speaking with you after you review this information and gather the results. If you wish, you can have the above medical information faxed to my attention at (814) 467-0725.
Warm regards,
Maureen Pavlik, RN, BS, CCM
Vaccine Case Manager
Joyce Murtha Breast Care Center
600 Somerset Avenue
Windber PA 15963
866-253-4703
If you army benefits, the trial takes place in DC. I am not A2 but I am A3
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