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		|  10-04-2013, 07:57 PM | #1 |  
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				Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: New York, New York 
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				 New Vaccine Trial Using Mushroom Tea & Peptide/Herceptin 
 http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/N...salazar&rank=2
 
Protocol 135, Tumor Vaccine Group (Seattle, Washington)
  
For those who may qualify and be interested.  Should open within a month.
  
Karen 
				__________________World Trade Center Survivor (56th Floor/North Tower): 14 years and still just like yesterday.
 Graves Disease, became Euthyroid via Radioactive Iodine, June 2001.
 Thyroid Eye Disease. 2003.  Decompression surgery in 2009; eyelid lowering surgery in 2010.
 Diagnosed: June 2010, liver mets. ER-/PR+10%; HER2+++.
 July 2010: Begin Taxol/Herceptin. Eliminate sugar from diet.  No surgery or radiation.
 January 2011: NED
 April 2011: Progression in liver only. Other previous affected areas eradicated. Stop Taxol/Herceptin after 32 infusions.
 May 2011: Brain MRI: clear.
 May 2011: Begin Tykerb daily, Xeloda twice per day for one week on, one week off, and Herceptin.
 November 2011: Progression in liver.  All other tumors remain eradicated.
 December 2011: BEGIN TRIAL #09-093 Taxol, MCC-DM1 (T-DM1), Perjeta.
 Trial requires scans every six weeks, bloodwork and infusions weekly.
 Brain MRI: clear.
 January 2012: NED. Liver mets, good riddance!
 March 2012: NED.  Developed SMA (rare blood clot) in intestinal artery and loss of sight in right eye due to optical nerve neuropathy.  Resolved when Taxol removed this month.
 Continue Protocol of T-DM1 weekly and Perjeta every 3 weeks.
 May 2012: NED.
 June 2012: Brain MRI: clear.
 June-December 2012: NED.
 December 2012: TRIAL CONCLUDED; ENTER TRIAL EXTENSION #09-037. CT, Brain MRI, bone scan: clear. NED.
 January-March 2013: NED.
 June 2013: Brain MRI: clear. CEA upticking; CT shows new met on liver.
 July 3, 2013: DISASTER STRIKES during liver ablation: sloppy surgeon cuts intercostal artery and I bleed out, lose 3.5 liters of blood, have major hemothorax, and collapsed lung requiring emergency resuscitative thoracotomy, lung surgery, rib rearrangement and cutting deep connective tissue, transfusion.  Ablation incomplete.  This life-saving procedure would end up causing me unforgiving pain with every movement I make, permanently, otherwise known as forever.
 July 26, 2013: Try Navelbine/Herceptin.  Body too weak after surgery and transfusion. Fever. CEA: Normal.
 August 16, 2016: second dose Navelbine/Herceptin; CEA: Normal. Will skip doses. Watching and waiting.
 September 2013: NED, Herceptin only. CEA: Normal. Started Arimidex.
 October-November 2013: NED. Herceptin and Arimidex. CEA, CA125, 15-3: Normal.
 December 2013: Something brewing. PET lights up on little spot on liver; CEA upward trend, just outside normal. PET and triphasic liver scan confirm Little Met. Restart Perjeta with Herceptin, stay on Arimidex. Genomic sequencing completed for future treatments, if necessary.
 January 2014: Ablate Little Met on the 6th. Happy New Year.
 March 2014: Brain MRI: clear. PET/CT reveal liver mets return; new lung mets. This is not funny.
 March 2014: BEGIN TRIAL #10-005 A(11)-Temsirolimus plus Neratinib.
 April 2014: Genomic testing indicated they could work, they did not. Very strange drug combo for me, felt weird.
 April 2014: Started Navelbine and Herceptin. Needed something tried and true, but had significant progression.
 June 2014: Doxil and Herceptin.
 July 2014: Progression. Got nothing out of it. Brain: NED.
 July 2014: Add integrative medical hematologist-oncologist to my team. Begin supplements.  These are tumor-busting, immune system boosters. Add glutathione, lysine and taurine IV infusions every three weeks.
 July 2014: Begin Gemzar, Herceptin & Perjeta. Happy.
 August 2014: ECHO perfect.
 January 2015: Begin weekly Vitamin D Analog infusions. 25 mcg. via port.
 February 2015: CT: stable.
 April 2015: Gem working, but not 100%.  Looking into immunotherapy.  Finally, treatments for the 21st century!
 April 2015: Penn Medicine.  Dendritic cell immunotherapy.
 
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		|  10-05-2013, 11:47 AM | #2 |  
	| Senior Member 
				 
				Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Misty woods  of WA State 
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				Re: New Vaccine Trial Using Mushroom Tea & Peptide/Herceptin
			 
 Thanks  Karen -Maybe I should have waited for THIS vaccine trial!
 
 You need to be:
 
 Patients with stage IV HER2+ breast cancer treated to:
 No evidence of disease (NED), or
 Stable bone only disease after definitive therapy
 HER2 overexpression by immunohistochemistry (IHC) of 2+ or 3+ in the primary tumor or metastasis; or documented gene amplification by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis; IHC =< 2+ must have HER2 gene amplification documented by FISH
 Patients must continue trastuzumab monotherapy dosing per standard of care through the
 
				__________________"When I hear music, I fear no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe. I am related to the earliest times, and to the latest." H.D. Thoreau
 Live in the moment.
 
 MY STORY SO FAR ~~~~
 Found suspicious lump 9/2000
 Lumpectomy, then node dissection and port placement
 Stage IIB, 8 pos nodes of 18, Grade 3, ER & PR -
 Adriamycin 12 weekly, taxotere 4 rounds
 36 rads - very little burning
 3 mos after rads liver full of tumors, Stage IV Jan 2002, one spot on sternum
 Weekly Taxol, Navelbine, Herceptin for 27 rounds to NED!
 2003 & 2004 no active disease - 3 weekly Herceptin + Zometa
 Jan 2005 two mets to brain - Gamma Knife on Jan 18
 All clear until treated cerebellum spot showing activity on Jan 2006 brain MRI & brain PET
 Brain surgery on Feb 9, 2006 - no cancer, 100% radiation necrosis - tumor was still dying
 Continue as NED while on Herceptin & quarterly Zometa
 Fall-2006 - off Zometa - watching one small brain spot (scar?)
 2007 - spot/scar in brain stable - finished anticoagulation therapy for clot along my port-a-catheter - 3 angioplasties to unblock vena cava
 2008 - Brain and body still NED! Port removed and scans in Dec.
 Dec 2008 - stop Herceptin - Vaccine Trial at U of W begun in Oct. of 2011
 STILL NED everywhere in Feb 2014 - on wing & prayer
 7/14 - Started twice yearly Zometa for my bones
 Jan. 2015 checkup still shows NED
 2015 Neuropathy in feet - otherwise all OK - still NED.
 Same news for 2016 and all of 2017.
 Nov of 2017 - had small skin cancer removed from my face. Will have Zometa end of Jan. 2018.
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		|  10-07-2013, 07:31 AM | #3 |  
	| Senior Member 
				 
				Join Date: Jul 2006 
					Posts: 463
				 
		 
		 
		
		 
		
		
	
		
	
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				Re: New Vaccine Trial Using Mushroom Tea & Peptide/Herceptin
			 
 This is interesting.  They are not testing the vaccine, they are testing the mushroom extract, Polysaccharide-K (PSK).  It is apparently the biggest-selling cancer med in Japan, and has its roots in traditional Chinese medicine.  Like I said, that a mainstream vaccine-focused group is testing this is intriguing.  
 Here are a few links to info about PSK:
 
 Komen/PSK
 
 Wikipedia PSK
 
 Google will find lots of other references, although most are rather old.  It seems this ancient treatment is taking a long time to come to the attention of modern medicine.
 
 Although it looks like the drug has a trade name, at least in Japan, there is no drug company sponsor of the trial.  Sponsors are the UofW, NCI, and NCCAM.
 
 Debbie Laxague
 
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		|  10-07-2013, 10:05 PM | #4 |  
	| Senior Member 
				 
				Join Date: Dec 2011 
					Posts: 585
				 
		 
		 
		
		 
		
		
	
		
	
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				Re: New Vaccine Trial Using Mushroom Tea & Peptide/Herceptin
			 
 That is interesting.  Thank you for sharing with us.  I hadn't heard of PSK before. 
				__________________Diagnosed in October 2011   Stage IV with metastasis to liver.
 January 2012 after double mastectomy, started taxotere, carboplatin and herceptin.
 Clear.
 December 2012 was diagnosed with five brain mets, and had whole brain radiation.
 Around July 2014 two mets in brain, one a residual spot and one new one growing in size. Received Cyberknife on both areas
 Clear/NED
 April 2015 remain NED
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		|  01-27-2014, 06:04 PM | #5 |  
	| Senior Member 
				 
				Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Thousand Oaks, California. 
					Posts: 199
				 
		 
		 
		
		 
		
		
	
		
	
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				Re: New Vaccine Trial Using Mushroom Tea & Peptide/Herceptin
			 
 To be eligible for this trial, you also need to be HLA-A2 positive, and they will test you beforehand to see if you qualify. 
				__________________Breastfeeding when diagnosed with Her2+ May 2008
 Oct 2008 Double mastectomy 22/28 lymph nodes positive
 Decline chemotherapy (decision I regret)
 Nov 2009 Mets to lungs and bones.
 Dec 2009 Start Taxotere and Herceptin, T1, T3 heal completely and lungs  are clear, T2 and first rib have lytic lesions. First rib becomes  sclerotic. Considered stable.
 May 2011, Onc calls progression and I cross over from comparison arm of clinical trial to TDM-1
 Brain scan in Sept 2011 showed small tumor in right cerebellum, did Novalis radiation.
 
 
 Feb 2013 < 1cm tumor in left frontal lobe. Did Novalis in March and latest scan shows no sign of brain metastasis.
 Aug 2013 did 36th round of TDM-1 Due to TDM-1 side effects, shortness of  breath, and difficulty getting my balance when getting out of bed,  agreed with my oncologist to stop TDM-1.
 Took a six week break, bone scan showed small uptake on left first rib.  CT showed hypodensities in liver (too small to biopsy) and small nodule  in lungs (mediastinal).
 Started Navelbine weekly. Did one round with Herceptin.
 Skipped next 2 rounds, due to neutropenia. Next chemo 7th Nov - have had  3 Neupogen shots, so WBC should look better... Did not tolerate  Navelbine well.
 December 2013 scans show no sign of active cancer.
 March 2014 - currently only on Herceptin - brain MRI clear, PET/CT two nodules in right lung show uptake
 May 2014 - stop Herceptin.
 Sept 22, 2014 Brain MRI clear :) PET/CT Progression in lungs.
 Sept 2014, Xeloda, Tykerb and Herceptin.
 Nov 2014 - Decide to take a break from all treatment.
 May 2015 - Brain met radiated with Novalis
 July 2015 - Have progression in right lung.
 Sept 2015 - Perjeta and Herceptin alone after a 9 month break from all treatment.
 Nov 2015 - Thoracentesis 1500ml removed from right lung.
 Dec 2015 - Two tiny 1mm brain mets radiated in right cerebellum.
 Feb 2016 - Thoracentesis 2200ml drained from right lung
 Feb 2016 - Stopped Perjeta and Herceptin and started back on Kadcyla as I  had no previous progression on it. After 1 cycle of Kadcyla markers  begin to drop. On second cycle add Keytruda.
 March 2016 - Thoracentesis 1650ml drained from right lung.
 April 2016 – Thoracentesis 1500 ml drained from right lung.
 June 2016 – CT scan shows progression in right lung, as well as moderate pleural effusion requiring Thoracentesis.
 June 2016 – Decide to stop Keytruda, and will do chemosensitivity test  through Rational Therapeutics. Plan to continue on Kadcyla for next two  cycles.
 July 2016 - Start weekly Abraxane with Herceptin.  WBRT with hippocampal sparing, Taking Namenda.  15 sessions over 3 weeks.
 Aug - Dec 2016 - 2 infusions of Navelbine, very hard on my body and still dealing with anasarca (generalized edema)  1 infusion of Havalen
 My doctor wants to put me on hospice.
 Dec 23rd 2016 - I am granted compassionate use of Neratanib.
 May 31st 2017 - still on Neratinib, feeling good.
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		|  01-27-2014, 08:24 PM | #6 |  
	| Senior Member 
				 
				Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Misty woods  of WA State 
					Posts: 4,128
				 
		 
		 
		
		 
		
		
	
		
	
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				Re: New Vaccine Trial Using Mushroom Tea & Peptide/Herceptin
			 
 There was an earlier trial (maybe 8 or more years ago) that had that HLA-A2 requirement.  I was tested, but was not A2.  Seems the test took a few days to come back, but may be faster now with new methods.
 That earlier trial had nothing to do with this mushroom tea, but perhaps some information was gleaned from that earlier trial that pointed toward the A2 requirement. Indeed, interesting.
 
				__________________"When I hear music, I fear no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe. I am related to the earliest times, and to the latest." H.D. Thoreau
 Live in the moment.
 
 MY STORY SO FAR ~~~~
 Found suspicious lump 9/2000
 Lumpectomy, then node dissection and port placement
 Stage IIB, 8 pos nodes of 18, Grade 3, ER & PR -
 Adriamycin 12 weekly, taxotere 4 rounds
 36 rads - very little burning
 3 mos after rads liver full of tumors, Stage IV Jan 2002, one spot on sternum
 Weekly Taxol, Navelbine, Herceptin for 27 rounds to NED!
 2003 & 2004 no active disease - 3 weekly Herceptin + Zometa
 Jan 2005 two mets to brain - Gamma Knife on Jan 18
 All clear until treated cerebellum spot showing activity on Jan 2006 brain MRI & brain PET
 Brain surgery on Feb 9, 2006 - no cancer, 100% radiation necrosis - tumor was still dying
 Continue as NED while on Herceptin & quarterly Zometa
 Fall-2006 - off Zometa - watching one small brain spot (scar?)
 2007 - spot/scar in brain stable - finished anticoagulation therapy for clot along my port-a-catheter - 3 angioplasties to unblock vena cava
 2008 - Brain and body still NED! Port removed and scans in Dec.
 Dec 2008 - stop Herceptin - Vaccine Trial at U of W begun in Oct. of 2011
 STILL NED everywhere in Feb 2014 - on wing & prayer
 7/14 - Started twice yearly Zometa for my bones
 Jan. 2015 checkup still shows NED
 2015 Neuropathy in feet - otherwise all OK - still NED.
 Same news for 2016 and all of 2017.
 Nov of 2017 - had small skin cancer removed from my face. Will have Zometa end of Jan. 2018.
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		|  02-04-2014, 11:01 PM | #7 |  
	| Senior Member 
				 
				Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Thousand Oaks, California. 
					Posts: 199
				 
		 
		 
		
		 
		
		
	
		
	
	 | 
				
				Re: New Vaccine Trial Using Mushroom Tea & Peptide/Herceptin
			 
 I was eligible for this trial, but alas I am not HLA-A2 positive.  The test was sent to an outside lab and took almost 2 weeks to get the results.  So now I am keeping my eyes open for other vaccine trials.  I had brain mets a year ago, so I am not eligible for the U of Penn trial as they require brain mets to be clear for 4 years.  I am currently just doing Herceptin. 
				__________________Breastfeeding when diagnosed with Her2+ May 2008
 Oct 2008 Double mastectomy 22/28 lymph nodes positive
 Decline chemotherapy (decision I regret)
 Nov 2009 Mets to lungs and bones.
 Dec 2009 Start Taxotere and Herceptin, T1, T3 heal completely and lungs  are clear, T2 and first rib have lytic lesions. First rib becomes  sclerotic. Considered stable.
 May 2011, Onc calls progression and I cross over from comparison arm of clinical trial to TDM-1
 Brain scan in Sept 2011 showed small tumor in right cerebellum, did Novalis radiation.
 
 
 Feb 2013 < 1cm tumor in left frontal lobe. Did Novalis in March and latest scan shows no sign of brain metastasis.
 Aug 2013 did 36th round of TDM-1 Due to TDM-1 side effects, shortness of  breath, and difficulty getting my balance when getting out of bed,  agreed with my oncologist to stop TDM-1.
 Took a six week break, bone scan showed small uptake on left first rib.  CT showed hypodensities in liver (too small to biopsy) and small nodule  in lungs (mediastinal).
 Started Navelbine weekly. Did one round with Herceptin.
 Skipped next 2 rounds, due to neutropenia. Next chemo 7th Nov - have had  3 Neupogen shots, so WBC should look better... Did not tolerate  Navelbine well.
 December 2013 scans show no sign of active cancer.
 March 2014 - currently only on Herceptin - brain MRI clear, PET/CT two nodules in right lung show uptake
 May 2014 - stop Herceptin.
 Sept 22, 2014 Brain MRI clear :) PET/CT Progression in lungs.
 Sept 2014, Xeloda, Tykerb and Herceptin.
 Nov 2014 - Decide to take a break from all treatment.
 May 2015 - Brain met radiated with Novalis
 July 2015 - Have progression in right lung.
 Sept 2015 - Perjeta and Herceptin alone after a 9 month break from all treatment.
 Nov 2015 - Thoracentesis 1500ml removed from right lung.
 Dec 2015 - Two tiny 1mm brain mets radiated in right cerebellum.
 Feb 2016 - Thoracentesis 2200ml drained from right lung
 Feb 2016 - Stopped Perjeta and Herceptin and started back on Kadcyla as I  had no previous progression on it. After 1 cycle of Kadcyla markers  begin to drop. On second cycle add Keytruda.
 March 2016 - Thoracentesis 1650ml drained from right lung.
 April 2016 – Thoracentesis 1500 ml drained from right lung.
 June 2016 – CT scan shows progression in right lung, as well as moderate pleural effusion requiring Thoracentesis.
 June 2016 – Decide to stop Keytruda, and will do chemosensitivity test  through Rational Therapeutics. Plan to continue on Kadcyla for next two  cycles.
 July 2016 - Start weekly Abraxane with Herceptin.  WBRT with hippocampal sparing, Taking Namenda.  15 sessions over 3 weeks.
 Aug - Dec 2016 - 2 infusions of Navelbine, very hard on my body and still dealing with anasarca (generalized edema)  1 infusion of Havalen
 My doctor wants to put me on hospice.
 Dec 23rd 2016 - I am granted compassionate use of Neratanib.
 May 31st 2017 - still on Neratinib, feeling good.
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		|  03-20-2014, 09:47 PM | #8 |  
	| Member 
				 
				Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado 
					Posts: 18
				 
		 
		 
		
		 
		
		
	
		
	
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				Re: New Vaccine Trial Using Mushroom Tea & Peptide/Herceptin
			 
 Paul Stamets started a company called Fungi Perfecti. They sell medicinal mushrooms which have shown to have anti-tumor properties. His account of his mothers breast cancer is quite moving and you can find his story on Youtube. Mycelium Running is the title of his book. Turkey tail mushroom is the one that NIH studied.  Healing with plants. |  
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