Joe B Posted July 20, 2008 Share Posted July 20, 2008 Leaving Tomorrow to go to he NIH in Bethesda to be vacinnated with my first of hopeully 8 rounds of Immunotherapy through the NIH (and National Cancer Institute) The Study is called "HyperAcute " Lung vaccine for lung cancer. Read more at http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/NCI-04-C-0049 I will be back on Thursday...Joe B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyman35 Posted July 20, 2008 Share Posted July 20, 2008 Prayers and positive thoughts for good results. Denise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kasey Posted July 20, 2008 Share Posted July 20, 2008 Good luck, Joe. NIH is where my life was saved. I've been going there since November 2004. It is an awesome place with awesome doctors. As a matter of fact, ALL the staff is awesome. Hope all goes well, and I'll be anxious to hear what you think about the place. Will look for an update upon your return. Kasey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyW Posted July 20, 2008 Share Posted July 20, 2008 Thanks for being a pioneer Joe and helping find what could become a cure for Lung cancer!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted July 20, 2008 Share Posted July 20, 2008 Good luck Joe...keep us posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbvh Posted July 20, 2008 Share Posted July 20, 2008 Good Luck Joe! Many prayers for a postive response and outcome. Have a safe trip. Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ry Posted July 20, 2008 Share Posted July 20, 2008 I am wishing you great results! Let us know how the trip goes. Rochelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SandraL Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 best wishes..and I hope you got some rest and relaxation out of it as well Sandra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kasey Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 Any update for us, Joe? I'm anxious to hear how it went. Kasey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce u Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 Good luck Joe and wishing you great results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 Hope all goes well...I think we're all very interested in your account of this trial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaminkw Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 Yes, Joe, we're all here waiting for your update. Hope it went well. I went to the link but didn't have time to dig deep today. I'm confused by the name "vaccine" I thought a vaccine was a prevention tool not something they give people after they already contract a disease? Anybody have any imput on that? Judy in Key West[/b] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyD Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 Joe, I hope all went will. I just got back from vacation and saw your post about the vaccine trial...thank you!! These trials give us all hope. I pray that you have great success. Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe B Posted July 30, 2008 Author Share Posted July 30, 2008 Hi Everyone, Everything went great. Bethesda is a very nice place and Gina & I had time to meet up with some new friends we met on our Italy trip who live on the east coast (on the Ocean in Delaware-- They are a married couple- He is a Doctor and She is a nurse ) They made a trip in to Bethesda (3 hrs) and we had dinner and got to see Wash DC at night ) I had a bunch of baseline studies this time (CT of throat, Chest , and Abdomen; CT/PET scan); a ton of blood work. pulmonary function test.....etc) The vaccine itself was pretty easy It was just 9 separate injections in my left forearm just under the skin (kinda like a TB test) I have 3 rows of 3 "bumps about the size of a 1/4 inch each . It stings for like 20 seconds because of a preservative they use to keep the cells intact) Now they are red and inflammed but not too bad . Thats a good sign because its indicative of a strong immune response) Ok, heres the layman's scoop on this trial. They take irradiated lung cancer cells (Not your own) and using a virus they transfer a enzyeme/ sugar protien gene from a mouse called a " Gal 3" into the actual DNA of the dead cancer cell. Humans do not possess this gene. It is present on all lower form animals but not in humans. It is what causes us to have a strong (HYPER-ACUTE (thus the name for the study) response. Its the same response you would get if you tried to transplant an organ from an animal to a human (same protien that evokes that response in fact) . The hope is that as the immune system attacks and kills these cells it then learns to kill all similiar cells in our bodies. They had success in animal studies , and also in the phase 1 study with humans (This is a phase 2 study). They saw abot a 40% rate of stability for extended periods (mean was 35 weeks I think. But it was only a population of 16 patients. a few have been stable fo quite a long time and they have one man who is 4 years out and his tumors are still shrinking. The lung cell lines they use are Squamous, adenocarcinoma, and large cell) There are no known side effects except for the inflammation, reddness at the vaccine site. I go back for my second vaccine August 5th (next tuesday) . I go every 2 weeks for a total of 16 weeks. Once enrolled, all travel and lodging is paid for bythe NIH. PM me if you have any questions ! Joe B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don M Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Sounds good Joe. Maybe I should look into it if the rest of my conventional options don't pan out. I always had thought that one needed to use their own lung tissue which would be problematic for me. Good luck with your trial. Don M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaminkw Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Joe, Thanks for the info in language we can understand. Sounds very interesting and a worthwhile study in which to participate. And what a treat getting to see DC at night. It's my favorite way to see it. Was there with our grandson a couple of weeks ago but my energy level didn't allow me to make it until dark. I can still remember seeing Lincoln up in that huge concrete(stone?) chair at night. Good luck with the trial, Judy in Key West Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbvh Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Joe, Glad to hear all went well at the NIH and that you are having a good response to the vaccine. The trial sounds promising. What a blessing that you and Gina got to hook up with your new friends for the evening. Take care and have a safe trip next week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaroleHammett Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 Best of luck to you, Joe! Affectionately, Carole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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