New vaccine - patients stage III or in remission
Like me some of the others out there have had trouble qualifying for the HER2 vaccine trials (and I am right here in Seattle!). Tried for the peptide trial and had the wrong HLA number. Tried for the DNA based trial and have a positive ANA (inflammation) reponse which disqualified me.
NOW Patty F at the U of W sends me word of yet another vaccine trial. This is not for HER2 specific cancers but has another target so is open to others NOT Her2 positive.
The TROVAX vaccine will begin a phase II study the end of summer. It is not specifically a HER2 target, but works against 5T4, something common to tumors of various origins.
Only thing is :
"This phase II trial is studying how well vaccine therapy works in treating patients with stage IIIB or stage IV breast cancer in remission."
Remission is required for this Trovax study and at this time I qualify. The trial criteria says that bone mets is the only qualifier, but Patty says that has been changed and the patient can have had mets anywhere and qualify. They are updating the wording.
If interested check this link:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00227474?order=1
__________________
"When I hear music, I fear no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe. I am related to the earliest times, and to the latest." H.D. Thoreau
Live in the moment.
MY STORY SO FAR ~~~~
Found suspicious lump 9/2000
Lumpectomy, then node dissection and port placement
Stage IIB, 8 pos nodes of 18, Grade 3, ER & PR -
Adriamycin 12 weekly, taxotere 4 rounds
36 rads - very little burning
3 mos after rads liver full of tumors, Stage IV Jan 2002, one spot on sternum
Weekly Taxol, Navelbine, Herceptin for 27 rounds to NED!
2003 & 2004 no active disease - 3 weekly Herceptin + Zometa
Jan 2005 two mets to brain - Gamma Knife on Jan 18
All clear until treated cerebellum spot showing activity on Jan 2006 brain MRI & brain PET
Brain surgery on Feb 9, 2006 - no cancer, 100% radiation necrosis - tumor was still dying
Continue as NED while on Herceptin & quarterly Zometa
Fall-2006 - off Zometa - watching one small brain spot (scar?)
2007 - spot/scar in brain stable - finished anticoagulation therapy for clot along my port-a-catheter - 3 angioplasties to unblock vena cava
2008 - Brain and body still NED! Port removed and scans in Dec.
Dec 2008 - stop Herceptin - Vaccine Trial at U of W begun in Oct. of 2011
STILL NED everywhere in Feb 2014 - on wing & prayer
7/14 - Started twice yearly Zometa for my bones
Jan. 2015 checkup still shows NED
2015 Neuropathy in feet - otherwise all OK - still NED.
Same news for 2016 and all of 2017.
Nov of 2017 - had small skin cancer removed from my face. Will have Zometa end of Jan. 2018.
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