STIMUVAX and LUCANIX LUNG CANCER VACCINES!!!

Hi to all my friends on here. So I felt it was important for me to share what I have learned in the last week or so about these new lung cancer vaccines that are in clinical trials. First off, thank you to Sandy (cuddles53) for mentioning these and discussing them with me. I believe she is on her own journey trying to get Lucanix and it is because of her that my mother might be getting in on the trial. Okay so for those of you who don't know. There are a few different vaccine trials in Phase III (which is the phase before it gets approved by FDA) going on. I truly believe if these prove to work the way researchers think they do that they could be a HUGE benefit to the current treatment. They are immunotherapy vaccines which basically work with ones own immune system response to be able to identify the cancer and attack it. My mother just enrolled in the Stimuvax trial here in Portland Oregon and pending her blood work, CT and MRI coming back stable next week, she will start on the 8 weeks of injections. There are alot of people who do not know about these trials and also because there is a strict window of enrollement (STIMUVAX is within 12 weeks of chemo treatment and LUCANIX is within 16 weeks) many people miss the window and are not eligible. Sandy I think has info on how people may be able to get it outside of the trial, I can't remember. In any case, for people who HAVE had a response to chemo and are stable, this trial is another possible weapon that could prove to keep cancer from recurring and keeping it at bay. Stimuvax which is the one my mother just enrolled in is injected once a week for 8 weeks. The side effects are minimal...nothing compared to chemo but obviously this is a trial and as with any trial no one knows the long term. Also it is a blinded study with 67% getting the vaccine and 33% not...so my mom could be getting weekly injections of placebo...but to us it was worth the 20 minute drive every week and she has nothing to lose. Anyway the guidelines for the trials are pretty strict but if you meet the criteria and are interested you should look into it. I am not advocating that this is right for everyone, just more information and resources that might help someone. They have trials going on all over, in many states and overseas. Here is the link to both Lucanix and Stimuvax trials. I will keep you all posted on how my mom does and if she stays in the trial, how she feels, etc.
thanks Renata

http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/study/NCT00409188?term=NSCLC&recr=Op en&state1=NA%3AUS%3ACA&state2=NA%3AUS%3AOR&state3=NA%3AUS%3AWA&rank=15&show _locs=Y#locn

http://www.clinicaltrial.gov/ct2/show/study/NCT00676507?show_locs=Y#locn

By Radamidov
Posted October 30, 2009 at 1:34 pm
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I think both of them are for NSCLC. But maybe look on the trials page and see if there is one for SCLC. I only looked for my mom who has stage III NSCLC

By Barb267
Posted October 30, 2009 at 4:05 pm
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Renata,
Please hug and kiss your mom for me. I think that she is such a brave person. I hope and pray that this is it and that she is getting the real deal. It would be so wonderful to have something else on or side to help us fight this.

Blessings,
Barb

By cuddles53
Posted October 30, 2009 at 4:46 pm
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Hi Renata, and also to you Kentmere,,
I just checked for small cell and talked with one of the trial coordinators and the small cell vaccine is not in this yet. I know they are working very hard to try and include the other types of cancer in these vaccines. ..
I think the reason we were destined to meet, you and I Renata, was for this very reason. I needed a partner here to help me get this point across out here, that we need to keep some hope here. The vaccines are sure to be our lucky rabbits foot!
I posted a few weeks back a mystery type post for Halloween, because I don't have the nerve yet to tell you this little secret that I have been trying to get this Lucanix vaccine outside of the trial. I just do not qualify in the trial to get it. I know the FDA needs to back off a little, and not make such strict rules so we may all be eligible for a chance at life here. I do not know why, when such good results have been published about these trials, are we still waiting here? I know drugs in the past have killed many trial patients, but this one here??? Come on? Read about them. I am no researcher, but I know many of the researchers put their hearts, and souls into this, and they believe in them. so why can't we? We need hope, it is here. so look into those clinical trials, and see if you too could qualify.
One reason the new patients are not aware of them is because their oncologist have not told them about them. We have to be out own advocates and find many of these things out for ourselves. I don't think this is right. So many people with lung cancer, have all they can do, to just get through the harsh chemo treatments, and don't have the time, or energy to do much advocating for themselves. I for one did not have an abundance of family, or of friends reaching out on this world wide web here to find me alternative therapies beside this chemo I did take. I am not sorry I took the drugs I did, it has caused me to live so much longer than I was thought to live., but I was a lucky one. How many have died? I don't know the answer to that one. But I do know that more people should have the opportunity to try an experimental drug like these, if they are end stage. There is a way to do it, it is called Compassionate drug use. You can read all about it from the American Cancer society web site. I found this on there. Then you need to get a company to sponsor the drug for you, it may mean you need to pay the thousands of dollars it will cost for these drugs, it may mean you need to travel all over the country to get them, but it is up to you, if it can be done or not. I could not afford the high coast to get a vaccine for myself ., nor to travel outside of my own state each month,.So I got lucky in a different way. I still have not received any vaccines. As my last ,and final stop here,was to find a doctor who would sponsor me for this vaccine. Easier said than done believe me! i finally after waiting, and and waiting for the decisions on 4 other doctors, found one who said :yes" they will sponsor me for this. Now on Monday, I go and he will go over all of the ins and outs on this vaccine If I so then choose to still take this vaccine it will happen, that is if the company that has patiently waited all of these months to find me a doctor is still willing to give me the vaccines each month. I will fill you in on any details as I get them.Take care, Be your own advocate, or get someone to help. In the case of Renata, she is a great daughter one who has looked into the possiblity of life for her mom. I thank you so much Renata for helping me here get this point out there, that we have to try and we can't give up hope.
good luck to all of you and God bless Sandy

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