Breast cancer vaccine is being tested ...

https://mynorthwest.com/932711/breast-cancer-vacci...


Breast cancer vaccine is being tested at University of Washington

Comments

  • marijen
    marijen Member Posts: 3,731
    edited March 2018

    Thank you cp418. That’s a trial I would like to get on

  • Joyseeker
    Joyseeker Member Posts: 312
    edited March 2018

    This is so hopeful. Grateful heart.

  • Bosombuddy101
    Bosombuddy101 Member Posts: 182
    edited March 2018

    Marijen,

    Thank-you for the link. It appears they are recruiting stage 3 and up breast cancer patients. This vaccine could potentially hold the key to eradicate metastatic breast cancer. This would be HUGE!

  • klvans
    klvans Member Posts: 258
    edited March 2018

    Encouraging. I wonder what drug companies are involved in it? Might be a nice investing opportunity.

  • DiagnosisDisruption
    DiagnosisDisruption Member Posts: 108
    edited April 2019

    I ended up being accepted into this trial. I go on May 8th to meet with the doctor and sign the consent form and then have an ECHO. I'm scared to death about side effects and the like. I don't even get flu shot vaccines and I'm signing up for THIS? The Department of Defense is funding it, according to the paperwork I received (with all the scary side effect language).

  • Peregrinelady
    Peregrinelady Member Posts: 1,019
    edited April 2019
    Thanks for letting us know, DD. Good luck and please keep us posted.
  • Meow13
    Meow13 Member Posts: 4,859
    edited April 2019

    I might be wrong but I think the vaccine is for her2 positive patients. I stand corrected it says her2 negative. A couple years ago there was a trial vaccine for her2 positive patients.

    I hope it is really successful!

    This is the her2 positive one:

    https://www.cancernetwork.com/her2-positive-breast...


  • TerrySB
    TerrySB Member Posts: 5
    edited April 2019

    I had the vaccine and participated in HER2+ Clinical Trial at the Univ of Wash 5 years ago...unfortunately my liver mets has just come back...and I thought I was cured!!! What a disappointment!

  • DiagnosisDisruption
    DiagnosisDisruption Member Posts: 108
    edited April 2019

    TerrySB, That is a disappointment! What stage, etc were you during the trial? Side effects from the vaccine? I want real people's answers, not necessarily the doctor's. This is either for WOVAC or DC1 vaccine.

    The one I am on is for HER2 Positive. I spoke with the oncologist and she said other patients had tried to get in, but they didn't qualify. I don't know if it's good or bad that I qualified :)


  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited April 2019

    I participated in a Her2+ recurrence prevention vaccine trial, linked below, from 2012-2017. I traveled from Florida to Washington, DC for this trial - initially once a month for 6 months, then four times yearly for the following two years, then the remaining time period was phone consults backed up with records from my oncologist. My only side effects were at the time of the injections - two to the upper thigh - itchy local reaction, then some fatigue and flu-like feeling for a couple of days, otherwise fine. I did find out at the five year point that I was in the active arm of the GP2 vaccine, which I was happy about as it performed very well. The one thing to remember about most trials is that you have an equal chance of being in the placebo arm, no guarantee of actually getting the vaccine. Also important to note, there have been vaccine trials that have performed well, but are still not on the market - it is a long and expensive process, with no guarantees of success.

    https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00524277

    https://ascopubs.org/doi/abs/10.1200/jco.2013.31.15_suppl.3005

    https://www.ascopost.com/News/17570

  • DiagnosisDisruption
    DiagnosisDisruption Member Posts: 108
    edited April 2019

    SpecialK, Thank you for the reality aspect of it! They can tell me all sorts of things, but I like to hear from people who have actually gone through it. My understanding (I haven't spoken with the consultant yet, that's in May) is that this is not the placebo. It's either DC1 or WOKVAC, randomly chosen. My husband keeps saying, just wait for the vaccine to come out and get it then. Sounds like that is a ways out.

    And I thought my drive would be bad, one hour each way. Florida to Washington DC! It's quite the time commitment after all the cancer treatments last year.

  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited April 2019

    The issue with Her2+ recurrence prevention vaccines is that they need to be given soon after treatment since Her2+ driven recurrence generally occurs within 2-3 years. Waiting for a vaccine to come to the market for a currently diagnosed Her2+ breast cancer wouldn't be pragmatic.

  • Kmbates102476
    Kmbates102476 Member Posts: 1
    edited October 2019

    I am looking to hear others experience with the WOKVAC vaccine. I was recently admitted to the trial and I am wanting to know side effects and general experience.

  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited October 2019

    Hello, Kmbates, and welcome to Breascancer.org! You'll find our community a very supportive and helpful place.

    Until you get responses from other members here, you may want to listen to the podcast Where Are We With Immunotherapy for Breast Cancer? ESMO 2019 Coverage, from our main site, where Dr. Jennifer Litton talks about current immunotherapy research for breast cancer in general.

    Please, come back to let us all know about your experience with the trial!

    Best wishes,

    From the Mods




  • DiagnosisDisruption
    DiagnosisDisruption Member Posts: 108
    edited November 2019

    Kimbates - I was accepted into the trial, but chose not to do it. I was told possible flu like symptoms for 24-48 hours and possible damage to auto-immunity (?) which they said they could reverse (also ?). I am curious as to what the side effects really were. The way it was explained to me was that I was there to find out what the side effects would be.

  • Healing_Journey
    Healing_Journey Member Posts: 2
    edited November 2019

    I've recently been accepted into the Phase 1 trial for WOKVAC recurrence prevention for HER2-. I expect to start late this month or early Dec. I am curious to hear from other participants as well

  • janky
    janky Member Posts: 500
    edited November 2019

    Welcome to this site - amazing information and support!

    Healing_ - Let us know how the trial goes (really, really well I hope!) I also hope the SEs are minimal.

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