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Brian
Dear Julie,
My wife Lisa participated in the U of Washington vaccine study. She received 6 vaccine treatments and exhibited a strong immune response. At the point she completed the study she had been NED for a period of almost 3 years and was receiving maintenance herceptin.
The week after she had taken her final vaccine treatment in January, 2005 a CT scan revealed two small tumors growing on scar tissue from a previous tumor in her lung. My wife had surgery to remove the upper lobe of her left lung. She was NED until October when two small tumors were discovered in her liver in places that had been previously treated by RFA. She had surgery to remove the tumors at the end of October and is now again NED. She is taking maintenance herceptin and Xeloda which will hopefully keep her clean for awhile.
I can say that despite Lisa's good immune response to the vaccine treatments they have not prevented recurrance. I cannot say that the vaccine had no effect, because it is possible that the vaccine is preventing a more extensive and pervasive recurrance, but at this point no one can tell.
We were hoping that the vaccine would aid the herceptin in a long term prevention of recurrance, but it has not worked at this point.
Nevertheless, I would advise one to try the vaccines, as there is no great downside risk to them and there is a chance that they may work.
Good Luck and God Bless!
Lisa and Brian
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