HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Encouragement needed to decide whether to join a vaccine trial

anna4969 · 01-11-2011, 07:38 PM

Hi Everyone,

I am quite new here but read many of the informative posts and feel like I have educated myself immensely on this site. Thank you.

I just started a vaccine trial at MD Anderson last week Monday. It is actually an offshoot of the Walter Reed Trial but the difference being I am getting the GP2 + GM-CSF while still on Herceptin. I will have 6 vaccines and possibly boosters. I am not too sure about the boosters as I am only in the beginning of this trial. I met with the principal investigator in December and was very impressed and hopeful by her research. So far so good, but as I said I just started.

My oncologist, at my home hospital, reminded me that vaccines are not proven yet, but it certainly couldn't hurt. Interestingly, he is the one who told me about this trial but I think he just didn't want me to think this was a miracle drug. He did think it wise to take the vaccine approach rather than another drug that might damage tissues. That being said, it seems to me that all of the results on the few vaccines out there have proven to be very safe. In terms of it's effectiveness in stopping recurrences, I think it might be too soon to know. So far though, I sure like what I see.

I am so pleased to be doing this vaccine. If anyone has questions, I would be happy to share my experiences thus far.

01-11-2011, 07:38 PM	#9
anna4969 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 72	Re: Encouragement needed to decide whether to join a vaccine trial Hi Everyone, I am quite new here but read many of the informative posts and feel like I have educated myself immensely on this site. Thank you. I just started a vaccine trial at MD Anderson last week Monday. It is actually an offshoot of the Walter Reed Trial but the difference being I am getting the GP2 + GM-CSF while still on Herceptin. I will have 6 vaccines and possibly boosters. I am not too sure about the boosters as I am only in the beginning of this trial. I met with the principal investigator in December and was very impressed and hopeful by her research. So far so good, but as I said I just started. My oncologist, at my home hospital, reminded me that vaccines are not proven yet, but it certainly couldn't hurt. Interestingly, he is the one who told me about this trial but I think he just didn't want me to think this was a miracle drug. He did think it wise to take the vaccine approach rather than another drug that might damage tissues. That being said, it seems to me that all of the results on the few vaccines out there have proven to be very safe. In terms of it's effectiveness in stopping recurrences, I think it might be too soon to know. So far though, I sure like what I see. I am so pleased to be doing this vaccine. If anyone has questions, I would be happy to share my experiences thus far.