I am reading so many opinions from Lc experts about using immunotherapie vaccines early either before cancer return as a preventative or when the cancer burden as small as possible. I am 15 mo. out NED. I am EGFR exon20 and BRG1 muts. Did the responce genectics 230 profile.
T1N1 Andeno. Carbo/Etop-IMRT-complete responce -surgery. 3 rounds Alimta- Non smoker.
Is there anything on the horizon like a vaccine to improve my survival chances "before" I face a cancer return? Any thing I should consider? Anything I should watch for comming up?
I tease my Onc. saying why can't he give me another round of chemo-Alimta with a few drops of PDL or PDL-1 in there. ?? I mean really? Not sure he gets my humor.
Its difficult to be a time bomb.
Thanks so very much for all that you all do.
CAS
Reply # - September 19, 2013, 06:13 PM
Reply To: Any promising vaccines in clinical trials to block LC
Hi cas1, I hope you have no further need for treatment. I don't think any of the new promising drugs in the pipeline are for use in post curative treatments that are already established. The standard for early stage nsclc curative treatment ends after adjuvant treatment.
I've not listened to all the new video blogs out on ASCO, the big oncology conference. I wouldn't be surprised adjuvant treatment was mentioned and I know one is about integrating immunotherapies into treatments, all are just a few minutes long and very informative. Below is the link to that list of videos, http://cancergrace.org/lung/2013/06/07/direct-from-asco-highlights-new-…
I hope that helps and I hope you won't have need for anymore treatment,
Janine
Reply # - September 19, 2013, 07:15 PM
Reply To: Any promising vaccines in clinical trials to block LC
Janine's exactly right. Trial drugs most commonly need to prove themselves first in the metastatic setting before being incorporated into trials of earlier stage disease. To my knowledge, there are no trials of these immunotherapies in the post-operative or post-chemo/radiation setting.
Of course, your oncologist wouldn't have any opportunity to administer these agents outside of a trial setting.
Good luck.
-Dr. West
Reply # - September 20, 2013, 04:48 AM
Reply To: Any promising vaccines in clinical trials to block LC
Janine,
Thank you for this link. My answer was there. Immunotherapies early in the cancer course.
How frustrating that we don't have clinical trials for people like me to block cancer return as thats the whole issue. Thats the killer. And all of our experts know that earlier is better.
O.K. time to advocate. Thank you again.
Reply # - September 20, 2013, 11:15 AM
Reply To: Any promising vaccines in clinical trials to block LC
There is one promising trial, called INSPIRE, that is going on in Asia for patients who have finished chemo/radiation. This uses the Tecemotide vaccine (aka Stimuvax/L-BLP25) reported this year. However on this trial, you don't know if you are getting the vaccine or not, so its not worth traveling for.