BC Vaccine – Looking for your Thoughts

[krisvell]

I'm trying to be pro-active with my health and found two Vaccine Trails that appear might be worthwhile for me to participate in. I haven’t officially applied but have received detailed study information. I’m not sure which is better than the other --- DNA Phase I or Peptide Phase II Randomized.

I know that my BC was advanced and at a high risk for recurrence. I was hoping the members of this Discussion Board would share their wisdom with me. It will certainly help me sort thru this so I can make a decision - Apply to one of these trials or wait to see what’s down the road.

Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

* Phase I: Xenogeneic HER2/Neu DNA Immunization for Patients With Metastatic and High Risk Breast Cancer http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/N...=1&show_xprt=Y

A Phase I Study to Assess Safety and Immunogenicity (04-101). Summary: New research in breast cancer attempts to use vaccines to trigger the body’s immune system to fight cancer. An injection of a small amount of cells (DNA that encodes the HER2 protein) into the body may trigger an immune response against other breast cancer cells in your body. The purpose of this trial is to determine the highest dose of the HER2/neu immunization that is safe, and see if it can stimulate an immune response in women with metastatic disease or at high risk for metastatic disease.
My Thoughts:
- Would get the vaccine
- Site location Memorial Sloan-Kettering is close to home
Rare but serious < 3%
“….It is possible that an immune response to this injection may affect the response to future treatment with trastuzumab..”
“… theoretical possibility that this DNA could combine with your own DNA and cause tumor development.

* Vaccine Therapy in Treating Patients With Breast Cancer http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT00524277

RATIONALE: Vaccines made from peptides may help the body build an effective immune response to kill tumor cells that express HER2/neu. Biological therapies, such as GM-CSF, may stimulate the immune system in different ways and stop tumor cells from growing. It is not yet known whether vaccine therapy is more effective than GM-CSF in treating breast cancer.
PURPOSE: This randomized phase II trial is studying vaccine therapy to see how well it works compared with GM-CSF in treating patients with breast cancer.
My Thoughts:
- 50% chance of getting the vaccine
- Site location is far – would take 7 hrs
Rare but Serious < 1%
Medical side effects – (e.g. Low blood pressure, sudden allergic reaction to GM-CSF)
Nothing rmentioned that could potentially compromise future treatments.