Has anyone else tried the APCEDEN vaccine? Can we get it here in the U.S.?
Substantial remission of prostate adenocarcinoma with dendritic cell therapy APCEDEN® in combination with chemotherapy
Chaitanya Kumar
, Jasmine Bagga
, Srikanth Chiliveru
, Sakshi Kohli
, Asmi Bharadwaj
, Minish Jain
, Shriram Inamdar
& Bandana Sharan
Published Online:29 Oct 2019doi.org/10.2144/fsoa-2019-0086
There's a member here who received APCEDEN based on his tumor biopsy sample and achieved great results. Keep in mind, he used checkpoint inhibitor (Keytruda) before and concurrently plus bunch of other treatments. At the end he took out prostate (RP) so it's hard to attribute his success to APCEDEN only but it must have played a major role in getting him into remission.
I've met with vaccine creator, Dr. Decker and my MO knew him as well. We were considering this option at some point but fortunately all my visible metastasis had been resolved and I don't have any site to obtain necessary biopsy tissue. The vaccine incubation is done using patient tumor lysate compared to Provenge where patients' lymphocytes are presented with just generic antigen prostate acid phosphatase. Therefore, if you're considering APCEDEN, you should have some "hot" accessible tumor to obtain cancerous tissue.
The vaccine is manufactured here but cannot be administered in the USA (no FDA approval yet). They (development company here) did receive clearance for Phase I trial for pancreatic cancer. For prostate cancer, you can obtain it here in the US and then take to the clinic in India where it's cleared for four types of cancer including prostate. Once you start infusions, you can bring it back and continue administration here if that works better logistically.
Actually I was on no treatment for several months with a rising PSA when I started the vaccines. Just the vaccines wiped them out. I did start Zytiga after two vaccines but could not get back to India for four months to take the other four due to visa issues. It’s easier now, however. Before I got back for the third vaccine my testosterone went from < 3 to 75 in about 6 weeks so it was already failing me. When I restarted the vaccines my testosterone went back down to 10-15 and stayed there with a PSA of around 1. After six vaccines the next PSMA PET scan actually showed it contained to the prostate and now out of the seminal vesicles. In retrospect I should have had the prostate out after six vaccines but nobody knew, and you need tumor to make the vaccines and all I had left was the primary. PSA and testosterone were kept lower for me anyway with Zytiga that was already failing me than with Xtandi. Keytruda wasn’t started for 16 months after the first vaccines. After six my PSMA avid went from 28.3 in my prostate to 14.0. With Keytruda and Xtandi and more vaccines it barely budged down to 12.7 by September, 2019 and we all know Xtandi doesn’t work forever so I felt I had a window that I better take advantage of and have it removed before it became resistant. Three oncos, my urologist, and three immunologists were suggesting that I have it removed for a year before I finally did it. In retrospect I should have done it before because I feel as good as I have in 15 years. I am 60 now. Their trial was just vaccines but they are finding doing it in combination is giving much better results. I guarantee you I’d be gone without them.
Hi, I also replied to Henukit. Would you know how we can reach a contact person or MO (yours or other) so we can explore this? Interested in learning about this as a possible route, have discussed with husband. Thanks!!!!
Hi Barbara. Feel free to contact me if you’d like.
Great to hear you are still doing well Henukit!!! Hope it lasts for both of us. I only did the Indian vaccines at first. Decker’s vaccines I did were after that and unfortunately they didn’t seem to be any better, but I still think they may find them to be after more patients receive them. Just makes sense that using your mRNA with your own tumor lysate will be more likely to create a memory. I created some memory but not enough from what it appears. I did talk with a guy that did six of the double loaded vaccines from Decker for metastatic pancreatic cancer and his numbers fell by 2/3’s after six vaccines. Last time I talked to him he planned on doing six more. Best part is no side effects except for the biopsy to get the tumor lysate.
Hi, interested in learning more about this as possible route, spoke with husband. Would you be willing go share who your MO is? We are exploring several routes now, and this one seems of definite interest. Thanks!!!!
Hi Barbara. MO at Medanta Medicity is Dr. Ashok Vaid. He is the head of the oncology floor at Medanta.
I did it, and just the vaccines knocked out 30 tumors in two months including my sacrum, spine, and ribs. Added Keytruda 16 months later and altogether was stable for two years with that and Xtandi started after resolution of the 30 tumors. The primary was stubborn so had it removed last September and path came back free from malignancy in the seminal vesicles etc. Gleason was 3+2 for a 5. Part of the prostate was actually benign!! Dx’d August, 2014 with a 212 PSA, Gleason 9. Last PSA a couple of weeks ago was .02, testosterone about 750, and alk phos 75. Alk phos went up because of necrosis of the jaw from Xgeva but quit it last October 12th. Will have oral surgery in a couple of months to shave off all the excess bone that grew in because of it. Still taking the vaccines and Keytruda only. Doc took me off Xtandi today. He wants to take me off Keytruda in July and continue with the vaccines I had made from the tumor. Have had five PSMA PET scans in Delhi as that is standard of care there. Dr. Narmada Gupta removed my prostate. He is a hell of a surgeon. Never even dribbled after taking out the catheter. He is past president of both the Indian and Asian Urologic Society. No wood yet, but do have sensitivity so am hopeful or ai will have an implant done next year. They also do the Gainswave over in Delhi for ED that helps a lot of guys. Dr. Ashok Vaid is my oncologist there and Chaitanya Kumar my immunologist. Living a normal, pain free life now. No side effects from the vaccines. APACBiotech.com is where you can read about the vaccines and yes that’s me giving a testimonial before I had the prostatectomy. At least for me, they saved my life. 12.5K for 6 vaccines at Medanta Medecity that they give you a prescription so you can fly them home with you. I keep them in my basement on liquid nitrogen and give them to myself. Very easy.
Radiation post RP unnecessary unless PCa recurs 
Fecal transplant to treat cancer 
