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Old 07-29-2013, 10:59 AM   #1
'lizbeth
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Location: Sunny San Diego
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Vaccines show a 43% reduction in recurrence

The vaccines are showing only Grade 1 & 2 toxicities, far less than chemo. I don't know about the rest of you, but the idea of having vaccine shots after treatment works for me.

Many want to discourage you from vaccines. But please consider this - do you want to wait and see if you recur after initial treatment and then be subjected to additional harsh chemotherapies? Or do you want to receive a series of vaccine injections that give you flu like symptoms for a short time?

Remember - some of us on the Her2support board are participants in these trials. I am in the GP2 vaccine trial, and despite not having the most favorable statistics, I am currently NED and doing well. As you know the studies are blinded and I don't know which arm I am in.

When others post that a vaccine doesn't work - I have to wonder about their motivation behind this. I've heard criticism about the delivery system and that is the reason for the immune response. I've heard many arguments against.

I can say that I've had a very positive experience participating in my trial, as others have had. I felt my health improve after the injections, and I didn't expect that because I didn't know which arm I was in. SandraGA had a similar experience.

What I'm asking is don't let the naysayers talk you out of making a positive decision for yourself and future cancer patients.

I'm just a cancer survivor, like many of the rest of you. Please go to clinicaltrials.gov and check it out. You might find something (and it doesn't have to be a vaccine) that is perfect for you!

Cancer Research
: December 15, 2012; Volume 72, Issue 24, Supplement 3
doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.SABCS12-P5-16-02
Abstracts: Thirty-Fifth Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium-- Dec 4-8, 2012; San Antonio, TX
© 2012 American Association for Cancer Research Poster Session 5 - Treatment: Immunotherapy

Final Results of the Phase I/II Trials of the E75 Adjuvant Breast Cancer Vaccine

TJ Vreeland, GT Clifton, DF Hale, AK Sears, R Patil, JP Holmes, S Ponniah, EA Mittendorf, and GE Peoples San Antonio Military Medical Center, San Antonio, TX; Joyce Murtha Breast Care Center, Windber, PA; Redwood Regional Medical Group, Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, Santa Rosa, CA; Uniform Services University of Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Background: We have completed phase I/II clinical trials vaccinating breast cancer patients (pts) with E75, a HLA-A2/A3-restricted HER2/neu (HER2) peptide vaccine. The vaccine was administered in the adjuvant setting to prevent recurrences in high risk patients rendered disease-free with standard of care therapy. We have previously reported preliminary results indicating that the vaccine (including booster inoculations) is safe and effective in stimulating an anti-tumor immune response. Here, we report the final 5 year results from these trials.
Methods: The phase I/II trials were performed as dose-escalation/schedule-optimization trials enrolling node positive and high-risk, node negative breast cancer patients with tumors expressing any level of HER2. HLA-A2/A3+ pts were enrolled into the vaccine group (VG) while HLA-A2/A3- pts were followed prospectively as the untreated control group (CG). The VG pts were given 4–6 monthly intradermal inoculations of E75 with GM-CSF during the primary vaccine series (PVS). In addition, a voluntary booster program was initiated during the trial, with booster inoculations being offered every 6 months after completion of the PVS. Patients were monitored for local and systemic toxicity (graded by NCI Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events). In vivo immune response was assessed in the VG by delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) reactions to both E75 and saline, pre- and post-PVS. VG and CG pts were followed for 60 months (mo) and recurrences were documented. Demographic differences were compared with the Fisher's exact test and disease-free survival was determined using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by log-rank test.
Results: 195 pts were enrolled, 6 withdrew (2 from VG, 4 from CG), 1 was lost to follow-up prior to vaccination, and 1 was found to be ineligible, leaving 187 evaluable pts; 108 in the VG and 79 in the CG. 53 pts volunteered for the booster program and received at least one booster inoculation. The VG and CG were well-matched with the only statistically significant difference being ER–/PR- status (31.1% in VG vs 17.7% in CG, p = 0.04). Vaccination was well tolerated (maximum local toxicity: 73.1% Grade 1, 26.9% Grade 2, 0% Grade 3; maximum systemic toxicity: 72.2% Grade 1, 15.7% Grade 2, and 2.8% Grade 3). In the VG, pre- to post-PVS E75 DTH significantly increased (mean 3.8 ±1.0 vs 14.8±1.4, p < 0.001) and post-PVS E75 DTH was significantly greater than post-PVS saline DTH (1.84±0.5 vs 14.8±1.4, p < 0.001). At the end of the trial, analysis of the Kaplan Meier curves at 60 mo shows increased disease-free survival in the VG compared to the CG with a trend toward significance (89.7% vs 80.6%, p = 0.076).
Conclusions: The E75 breast cancer vaccine is safe and well–tolerated. It elicits strong immune responses in vaccinated patients. At the end of the 5 year follow-up period, the E75 vaccine shows a strong trend toward preventing breast cancer recurrence in vaccinated patients. To investigate this vaccine (now known as NeuVax) further, the PRESENT trial, a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center phase III registration trial has been initiated and is actively enrolling.
Citation Information: Cancer Res 2012;72(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-16-02.
__________________
Diagnosed 2007
Stage IIb Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, Pagets, 3 of 15 positive nodes

Traditional Treatment: Mastectomy and Axillary Node Dissection followed by Taxotere, 6 treatments and 1 year of Herceptin, no radiation
Former Chemo Ninja "Takizi Zukuchiri"

Additional treatments:
GP2 vaccine, San Antonio Med Ctr
Prescriptive Exercise for Cancer Patients
ENERGY Study, UCSD La Jolla

Reconstruction: TRAM flap, partial loss, Revision

The content of my posts are meant for informational purposes only. The medical information is intended for general information only and should not be used in any way to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease

Last edited by 'lizbeth; 07-29-2013 at 11:05 AM.. Reason: addition
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Old 07-30-2013, 06:22 AM   #2
JillaryJill
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Re: Vaccines show a 43% reduction in recurrence

Ditto. I will have my 6th and last vaccine at Mayo/ Rochester on August 16. I have 2 bulging discs in my back and since the vaccines, I am virtually painless...which is a strong indication to me that the vaccine has anti inflammatory properties. Each vaccine has been well tolerated and I am treated like a "queen" at Mayo. The experience has been pleasant. My echo came out great after Vaccine #3 so no ill effects on my heart.
Tappimune is the drug company that developed the vaccine that I am getting...the drug companies seem to be in a race to develop a better formula/delivery system/ longevity of the vaccine response.
I am hoping I am part of a blockbuster solution to "wipe breast cancer" off of the planet, but at the very least...they are learning from me regardless of the outcome. The pink campaigns and other funding resources are great but the greatest need to speed up a cure is clinical trial participation.
__________________
DX November 2010
Brain MRI, CT of lung, liver, bone, all clear
Double Mastectomy w/expanders December 1, 2010
ER- PR- Her2+++, grade 3, 12 positive nodes out of 15
Stage IIIc
Started TCH/Chemo December 31, 2010
6 rounds TCH
Herceptin every 3 weeks for a year
33 rounds of TomoTube radiation, to chest wall, neck, skin and lymph area
September, 2011, MRI to lower spine, hips, DX bulging disk, L4 & L5, pain not from cancer
Expanders removed, implants in Dec 1, 2011
Finished Herceptin, December 21, 2011
August 2012, CT of chest and abdomen, all ok
Enrolled in MC1136 Phase I Peptide Vaccine Trial at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
March 2013, First Vaccine
April 2013, 2nd Vaccine
May 2013, 3rd Vaccine
June 2013, 4th Vaccine
July 2013, 5th Vaccine
August 2013, 6th Vaccine Done!
September 2013, Mayo visit, Echo results 68, vaccine did not effect my heart! Blood work normal.
January 31, 2013, Mayo visit, Echo normal
February 23, 2014, Numb lips on right side, Brain MRI, normal!
June, 2015, Finished the trial at Mayo Clinic. Feels good!
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