CNN Report Promising Cure Vaccine

[AlaskaAngel]

After mention of the basis for this possible vaccine, I was watching a different interview on TV (Creating Synthetic Life), and in that interview, one of the researchers involved in that was already speculating that there may be a way to apply that brand-new research result to the protein mentioned in the Cleveland research.

There are many possible ways in which the puzzle pieces might be put together, and the powers of computers combined with the internet itself as a tool in letting people see and share ideas so much faster are very dynamic in moving forward.

At the same time, we are becoming more and more dependent on them, and on our trust in their accuracy. Computers don't have "common sense", and the outcome they provide is dependent upon humans too.

Anyway, I think it is especially good that diverse areas of science are aware of each other's work, and are so much more rapidly aware than in the past, and can be faster to integrate with each other in planning future efforts.

[mamacze]

Hold the fort! How does this relate to the breast cancer vaccine that many of us already received in clinical trial with the tumor vaccine group in Seattle? I was diagnosed with mets to my liver and lungs at the age of 49 and after my herceptin and several vaccinations in clinical trial, here I am 6 years out with No Evidence of Disease. In my opinion, the vaccine is already in clinical trial; and at least in my case it is working! (so far...fingers and toes crossed!)
Love Kim from CT

[Sherryg683]

"Tuohy now wants to move forward in testing the vaccine in human patients. Enrollment could begin next year according to the Cleveland Clinic."

This is also stated in the article. Am I wrong to assume that they will begin testing or trials on patients that already have cancer, metastatic or otherwise...not sure. It may take 10 years for it to reach market for "healthy" women. But I take it to mean that we may be getting access to it in forms of trials within a year or so....correct me if I'm wrong...sherry

[Ellie F]

Sherry
That was my understanding also. It may take a long time to be availble prophylactically but may be given earlier to those who already have bc.

Kim
Glad to hear from you and pleased you are doing so well.
maybe for a subset of patients we already have a 'cure' in the treatment they have already received. it is so frustrating that we don't yet know what is effective for all.

Ellie

[StephN]

Guess it depends on which phrases in the article one latches on to that give us our impression of what it means.

"Scientists at Ohio's Cleveland Clinic are touting a new prototype vaccine to prevent breast cancer as "promising." "

The key words for me are "prevent" and its forms.
I did not see any place where they said WHO would be a trail candidate. Some might assume it is US who already have the disease since we are the first to get into the normal drug trials.

This vaccine contains a protein PRESENT in breast cancer and not in normal healthy tissue unless the person is lactating. If we already have the protein in our body, I am not sure adding more is the right approach.

Further down in the article it is stated that the inspiration for this vaccine came from the programs that have successfully vaccinated children from measles, etc.

The hoped for end result is to PREVENT the disease, but how they will get there is not addressed. Just that they hope human trials can begin - even though they don't have funds or FDA approval. Marketing is probably hoping a group with deep pockets will take interest.

If further animal trials show the same good result, I hope there will be a way to move it along.

[Nancy L]

Please go to http://blog.dslrf.org/?p=189 to read what Dr. Susan Love has to say. The media is not doing any of us a favor to hype this story up so prematurely. I would fight to be first in line for a proven vaccine and I hope and pray something like this will be available sooner rather than later. But for now, I see new options of targeted therapy as our best answer to living with breast cancer.

[Rich66]

Hopefully a part of a trend:
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6542C020100605

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/cel...k=MW_news_stmp

[Sherryg683]

Reading your link Rich made me happy and sad. My brother died of melanoma 2 years ago. Wish this would have been available to him, might have helped. ...sherry

[Rich66]

Ugg. Yeah...every advance has a bittersweet side in this arena.

[Adriana Mangus]

Even though it worked at the moment in only 6 mice, that's the beginning...We have to start somewhere.

Many other meds have worked in mice and are now available to people with many other forms of cancer and yes, these people are still alive, I can count myself amongst them.

Actually 6 mice is better than none... Just like Jean, this is my story and am sticking to it.

The only concern of mine is having the vaccine available to only women over 40 years of age, it does not make sense and it needs to be evaluated as more women are being diagnosed in their 20's.

This is and it has been an epidemic, it took a long time for the government to grant money for bc research and for the pharmaceutical companies to pay attention to the stats, unecessary deaths could have been spared.

My dear aunt Mary used to say: "Better late than never" I guess it's a lot late for some of us, having to live with the disease for life, but at least now more and more money is being spent in bc research, drugs and now a vaccine.

We must remain optimistic.

[hutchibk]

Probably everything we all are benefiting from starts with mouse-model in a lab, true. But the percentage of things that wash out after mouse-model, or within the earliest of human-model trial, is significantly higher than the things that actually translate into successful treatments.

This researcher must have an incredible PR team for his research, at this incredibly premature stage, to have hit the mainstream media and the capture the hearts and minds of the breast cancer culture with such a splash (nothing sexier than proclaiming a cure). It will probably be a great boon for him raising money to proceed.

It never hurts to be positive... but personally I'd be a lot more hopeful at this stage if I were a mouse with breast cancer. Ever the (healthy) skeptic I suppose.

[Ellie F]

One of the big problems we have at present is that we just don't know what works for which patients!
It seems to be becoming clear that there are many subsets of the disease possibly even within the her 2 component itself.I suspect that's why we have some stage 4 survivors that stay NED with the use of Vit h alone and why others need multiple lines of chemo.
I speculate that this may also be the case with the available current vaccines in that they may be effective for one and not for others.
I guess this follows on from the mystery of why some small early stage tumours become metastatic but conversely why some very large tumours appear to be 'cured'after initial treatment and don't recur.
Until we get to the bottom of these variables I guess it's trial, error and HOPE

Ellie

[pmm10414]

I spoke to my doctor about having vaccine. He said that he does see it right now because of the fact I had a complete response to chemo. I wonder though --

[Ellie F]

Hi Patty
Thats really interesting. i know we are different as I am stage 4 however my onc 's view was that being NED was the best time to have a vaccine as the disease load is low and the triggering of an immune response may wipe out any cells lurking about.#Cheers
Ellie

[Margerie]

I agree with Brenda....... my hubbie was so excited for me (and daughter) and I had to put a kybosh on it

I think they are stating age 40 and over for the vaccine because it will target breast cells in pregnancy/lactation and there would be problems if you were conceiving after taking the vaccine.

[CindyE]

Such wonderful news and I'm hoping and praying for all you that you can get the vaccine SOON. I hope this is the answer finally and we can kick breast cancer off the face of this Earth.