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shelleyd · 02-10-2011, 07:28 PM

Sometimes they can do the leukapheresis through the veins on each side of your neck. I had a vaccine made at U Penn for DCIS/Her2/neu and had what they called leukapheresis (collection of white blood cells to make a dendritic cell vaccine). When they have trouble with the arms, they can do the neck. Gross as it sounds, it is the only "hump" in the her2/neu vaccine making process. I had six shots over six weeks and NO side effects other than a little redness. These vaccines are the future and wonderful because they act like roving security systems, seeking out cancer cells with the Her2/neu receptor and decimating them. Chemo usually targets rapidly dividing cells but may leave dormat circulating tumor cells to come back at ya later.

SO i sincerely hope they got your apheresis done and you are well on your way for the vaccine. It took 3 days to make mine. And I did have a second leukapheresis done after I had all six shots so they could see my new immune system. GOOD LUCK! Let me know how you do, this is the BEST NEWS to get a vaccine for Her2!

02-10-2011, 07:28 PM	#14
shelleyd Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Florida Posts: 17	Re: Apheresis Help Sometimes they can do the leukapheresis through the veins on each side of your neck. I had a vaccine made at U Penn for DCIS/Her2/neu and had what they called leukapheresis (collection of white blood cells to make a dendritic cell vaccine). When they have trouble with the arms, they can do the neck. Gross as it sounds, it is the only "hump" in the her2/neu vaccine making process. I had six shots over six weeks and NO side effects other than a little redness. These vaccines are the future and wonderful because they act like roving security systems, seeking out cancer cells with the Her2/neu receptor and decimating them. Chemo usually targets rapidly dividing cells but may leave dormat circulating tumor cells to come back at ya later. SO i sincerely hope they got your apheresis done and you are well on your way for the vaccine. It took 3 days to make mine. And I did have a second leukapheresis done after I had all six shots so they could see my new immune system. GOOD LUCK! Let me know how you do, this is the BEST NEWS to get a vaccine for Her2!