Cancer Vaccine

I saw a news story about a cancer vaccine the other night. My wife is late stage IV bc with mets to the lungs, brain, liver & bone. Is there any hope this vaccine will become available soon?
Gil

Gili
Is your wife takng Herceptin with 1 or 2 chemo drugs? What form of Brain therapy has she taken? What chemo is she presently on? Where do you live? In replying, you can answer these questions, and I'm sure you will get alot of replies. The more info on her history the better the answers.

Hugs
Christine

Christine,

Jeanne was diagnosed with bc in 1999. She had a lumpectomy with clear margins. Two lymph nodes were found to have cancer cells. After the surgery she had radiation to the chest & several months of chemo. At that point she was stage 2.5.

In mid march of this year mets were discovered (her2++) in her lungs, brain, liver & bones. The brain mets were very extensive, so the onc started her with ten sessions of generalized radiation treatments to the head, followed by weekly treatments of Herceptin & Taxotere. Two weeks ago Jeanne was having a very hard time breathing, her blood oxygen level feel to 84 at rest. She was put on O2 24/7, the Taxotere was discontinued, Gemzar was added.

I saw a TV news story about the vaccine. At this point I’d try anything to fight the cancer. I fear that Jeanne may loose the battle soon.

Gil

Gil,

I will keep your wife in my prayers. It sounds as though the doctors are trying to find the right combination of Chemo drugs to get her mets under control. So many women on this site have been fighting mets for many years. Don't give up hope.

The BC Vaccine (there are several) is still in clinical trial at different phases at this time, as far as I know. Your wife may qualify for such a trial. The doctors may want to get her mets "under control" first though. Talk with him/her about it when you have time.

God Bless and sending you healing thoughts and prayers. I will pray that Jeanne will regain her strength soon. I will also pray for your wife's doctors, that they will determine the right drugs needed to fight your wife's cancer.

Cindi.

Gil,

Here is one link, maybe you already saw this

http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/9901/14/breast.cancer.vac/

also, Abramson Cancer Center University of PA is soing one also

Hope this helps

Warmly,

Judie

History

Discovered lump Sept. 2002 (mammo didn’t pick it up)
Dx Oct 2002-just turned 41
IDC and pagets disease, stage 2B, grade 3/3, nottingham scale 9/9
3cm, lumpectomy,clean margins
er/pr-pos, her2 neg, 2/25 nodes w/cancer
Nov 2002-March 2003-FEC (5fu, epirubicin, cytoxen)
March 2003- started tamoxifen
May 2003- finished rads (33tx)
June 2003-CT/PET Scan- clear
Started 3 month check ups w/lab
Dec 2003-complete hysterectomy
Jan 2004-extensive mets, both lungs & liver(labs normal)
Jan 2004-stopped tamoxifen
Feb 2004 CEA-23 (0-3 normal) CA27.29-66.1 (0-38 normal)
Feb 23to current-clinical trial, taxol & avastin
April 2004-CT-significant shrinkage on all tumors/plueral effusion gone
June 2004-CT-all liver lesions decreased in size/lung mets gone
July 2004-CEA is 1, CA27.29 is 25.8