Vaccine trial for Ovarian Cancer

[Summergold2]

Good morning Teal Ladies,

A couple of you asked about the vaccine trial for OC I am in. This is what they are trying to accomplish: teach your T cells to recognize the Ovarian cancer cells and attack and destroy them( my terms)

How? After surgery part of the tumor is saved for creating a vaccine. It has to be “fresh”. After you finish your rounds of chemo you go through a process called apheresis to harvest your dendritic cells.

They create the vaccine from your specific tumor and inject 8 sessions. 1 injection a week for three weeks and then 1 injection a month for 5 months.

I have completed the regime along with Avastin maintenance (still have 6 more to go) and then its wait and see.

I am not Braca 1 or 2 and my tumor does not have any mutations.......My blood work is monitored every month

I have had my 2nd scan and it shows ALL CLEAR NED! However my CA 125 is 40 so in two months PET scan to make sure nothing going on! I’ll take what I can get!

Thank you ladies for your support keep fighting the fight! Keep being an advocate for yourself! Researchers are coming up with new treatments and ideas everyday!

Government and Politicians need to be made more aware of [ovarian cancer]. I would love t o hear ideas from you all how to do this.

💪💪🦋🦋stay strong

Debbie in San Diego

*this post was edited by moderators and the edited text replaced with the text in square brackets*

[Goldilocks_2]

This sound good and hope you have a successful result Thank you for the info on this trial. Where is the trial taking place and is there any specific requirement to get on it.

[Summergold2]

Ythe trial is being conducted here in San Diego California USA. i found out you have to have a newly excised tumor which they send to the lab at the company who is trying to develop the vaccine they save the tumor day of surgery and send that day

[Cropcrop]

Thank you for your upbeat and really informative post. I hope this treatment course is proved to be a way deal breaker and the way forward, it sounds really interesting and promising. Stunning photo of you, thank you for sharing this with us. Stay safe, love and hugs from across the pond ❤️xx Jane

[Laz66]

Very interesting, thanks for sharing. P.s you have fabulous eyes and teeth!!😂

[candyapplegrey]

Great stuff. Lovely scarf! x

[Jenjill47]

Oh Debbie, that is so encouraging. I have my fingers crossed that the results will be positive. You are beautiful and your smile is a winner! Love from Jill in South Australia!

[Davonian]

Exciting and positive news which will give hope to many.

[Slipper1]

wow debbie, that is so inspiring to read, hope all goes well x

[Petrolhead]

HiVery interesting and exciting.

Thanks for posting.

Fay

[Summergold2 in reply to Petrolhead]

Me too keeping fingers crossed and toes too😁

[Sherrym]

Fantastic, good good luck to u. I am BRCA1 & worry for my grand daughter especially. Breast cancer strikes early in our family, ovarian 40s or 50s. So good that more treatments being tried.

[Summergold2 in reply to Sherrym]

Being that you are Braca positive.....your daughter and granddaughter can be genetically tested for the Braca gene. From what my geneticist stated not always is it passed on.....if they won’t do it through government program if you can afford it do it private doctor

[Artgreen]

This is fantastic news! I haven’t heard about it before. I really glad it’s looking so positive for you. I’d like to share it on our low grade serous carcinoma ovarian Facebook page if that ok with you?

Very best wishes

Alex x

[Summergold2 in reply to Artgreen]

Sure feel free anything to help us fight this disease

[Artgreen]

Thank you!

[vis-dh]

Hi Summergold,Could you brief me which company is doing the trials?

[Summergold2 in reply to vis-dh]

yes, The company that is the sponsor is Aivita Biomedical. the trial is of AVOVA -1.....Autologous Dendritic Cells Loaded with Autologous Tumor Associated AntigensIt is a double blind study. I found out they are only taking patients of Scripps Hospital here in San Diego you might want to see if any other hospitals or facilities are participating. You have to have a part of the tumor at surgery saved AND a blood sample the day of surgery. After chemo is completed you are screened by the doctor to see if you are approved to be in the study. If you are you undergo a process called leukapheresis where they collect your lymphocytes and monocytes both immune cells and then make the vaccine from your combined dendritic cells.........I don't know if it will be successful but so far I am NED and am scheduled for a PET SCAN and CT SCAN in May so should know more then.

It is not a cure but supposed to hopefully extend remission. I am in the study for 5 years and won't really know if I got the vaccine until then. However as I previously stated I believe I had been getting it as I would get low grade fevers for about 6 hours after an injection (there were 8) which to me indicated that my immune system was kicking in. I hope you find a suitable study I actually don't mind being a guinea pig if it will help just one Teal Lady!😀

Fighting on

Debbie (Summergold)