Trovax ("cancer vaccine")?

pascale
pascale Member Posts: 17
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Hi all,
I was wondering if any of you have heard of a vaccine that's supposed to boost the immune system and help it fight colon cancer as well as renal cancer. It's called Trovax and it's in clinical trials. The oncologist who was running the trial in Germany (I consulted him about my mum) told me they had stopped it there, but perhaps someone here has heard of it being used in the US or Canada? I know some of you are very well informed about clinical trials and the like.
Thank you!
Pascale

Comments

  • taraHK
    taraHK Member Posts: 1,952 Member
    wikipedia
    I just googled Trovax and read about it on Wikipedia. Interesting. I hadn't heard of it or the clinical trials previously. I may ask my oncologist about it (not necessarily for me -- but for general information).

    How is your mum doing?

    Best wishes,

    Tara

    ps still googling -- sounds like there may have been some problems with some clinical trials. And some pharmaceutical companies "politics"......

    http://www.europharmatoday.com/2009/04/sanofi-hands-back-trovax-to-oxford-biomedica-signs-eye-deal.html
  • grandma2selena
    grandma2selena Member Posts: 199
    Trovax
    I had heard about Trovax, but also had heard about problems with it. I did hear the other day that they are coming closer to designing vaccines according to the make up of your own cancer that can be given post treatment as a vaccine to boost the immune system and prevent cancer from coming back. The article is here: http://www.king5.com/health/cancer/stories//NW_121908HEK_cancer_breakthroughs_shot_SW.6ce824a7.html

    Now at this point they are looking at breast and ovarian cancer, but in the report on TV it went further to say at this time they are looking at designing these vaccines for all types of cancers.

    Debbie
  • pascale
    pascale Member Posts: 17

    Trovax
    I had heard about Trovax, but also had heard about problems with it. I did hear the other day that they are coming closer to designing vaccines according to the make up of your own cancer that can be given post treatment as a vaccine to boost the immune system and prevent cancer from coming back. The article is here: http://www.king5.com/health/cancer/stories//NW_121908HEK_cancer_breakthroughs_shot_SW.6ce824a7.html

    Now at this point they are looking at breast and ovarian cancer, but in the report on TV it went further to say at this time they are looking at designing these vaccines for all types of cancers.

    Debbie

    Trovax
    Hi Debbie and Tara,

    I guess they have to do more work before this vaccine becomes an option. I have spent so much time since my mum was diagnosed doing research on possible treatments. It sounds like some form of gene therapy or nanotechnology will be the treatment of the future and will be able to stop even advanced metastatic crc. Steven Curley of MD Anderson is also working on trials with a device invented by John Kanzius that uses radiation and gold nanoparticles to get at tumors and cancer in the bloodstream.

    My mum is doing a bit better today but it's been a rough few days. The surgeon and the oncologist have finally agreed on a strategy, and we have worked out a system for the painkillers. She'll be starting Vectibix tomorrow and they will wait a few days to see if it has an effect on the ascites. Has anyone here taken Vectibix with Irinotecan?

    If it does work, they'll be able to take the drains out. So many ifs...It's a rollercoaster for the caretakers and I can't even imagine what it's like for cancer patients. You are all so brave. I keep reading your stories for inspiration and every time my mum begins to lose hope I tell her there are people who have gone through so much like her and are still grateful for every day. It's hard, though, to strike a balance between fighting and looking for more treatments, and not giving her a hard time.

    I had hoped that the surgical oncologist who was following her case in Germany would have a solution. He had come up with a plan where they would do HIPEC for her peritoneal mets, RFA for her liver mets, and conformal radiotherapy for her lung mets. Then when he saw her most recent PET-CT he advised that we stick with chemo... I had heard the same opinion -- only chemo possible -- from an oncologist at Georgetown U Hospital, John Marshall, who is actually developing another vaccine to harness cancer patients' immunity against crc (but they have to be candidates for surgical resection of liver mets). So I am starting to come to terms with the fact that I have to stop looking for a magic bullet at this point, and just spend as much time as I can with my mum, let her know how much I love her, and try to make things as easy as possible.

    Argh. Now I'm depressed again.

    Thanks for your answers!

    Pascale
  • Labrat
    Labrat Member Posts: 2
    Trovax
    I did Trovax back in 05 at Methodist Hosp in Houston Tx for met rcc and it made my tumors disappear however the clinical trials were stopped in 08 at the DSMB orders. Last I heard the company that makes it is trying to redesign the clinical trials and s try to seek FDA approval.


    Trovax106
  • HANRSC
    HANRSC Member Posts: 21
    Labrat said:

    Trovax
    I did Trovax back in 05 at Methodist Hosp in Houston Tx for met rcc and it made my tumors disappear however the clinical trials were stopped in 08 at the DSMB orders. Last I heard the company that makes it is trying to redesign the clinical trials and s try to seek FDA approval.


    Trovax106

    TROVAX
    Hello Labrat

    4 years ago...I just went thru an operation to remove a small tumor in my right lung. This would have been some good info to know beforehand.

    I have some questions...when time permits could you email me at HANRSC@yahoo.com
  • snommintj
    snommintj Member Posts: 601
    HANRSC said:

    TROVAX
    Hello Labrat

    4 years ago...I just went thru an operation to remove a small tumor in my right lung. This would have been some good info to know beforehand.

    I have some questions...when time permits could you email me at HANRSC@yahoo.com

    Trovax
    There are a lot of very smart people who believe this will work. In fact, the vaccine was designed by professors from Oxford University. They believed in it so much that they formed their own company and marketed it. They're now teamed up with Sanofi-Adventis, I think. Clinical trials have been a lesson in extremes. Some people responded very well. If you didn't respond well to it, cancer kills you faster. At least in end stage renal cancer anyway. I talked to a guy in Spain about six months ago, he was part of a team doing genetic testing to see who would benefit from it and who wouldn't. So I would imagine it is eventually going to be similar to Erbitux and Paninumumab. They should be ale to test to see if it will work for you. Once they get that test, then you'll probably see some more clinical trials.
  • kersha
    kersha Member Posts: 63
    trial vaccine
    There is a trial vaccine that is recruiting. It is called Panvac. It is used to boost the immune system. Check out Duke University, Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa Florida.You can also call The National Cancer Institute at 1-800-422-6237. They are the one sponsoring the trial.
  • HANRSC
    HANRSC Member Posts: 21
    HANRSC said:

    TROVAX
    Hello Labrat

    4 years ago...I just went thru an operation to remove a small tumor in my right lung. This would have been some good info to know beforehand.

    I have some questions...when time permits could you email me at HANRSC@yahoo.com

    Hello Labrat
    The message

    Hello Labrat

    The message above is an error which I have not discovered how to delete.  I don't have any questions

    Charles