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Doctors Worldwide Testing Vaccine For Melanoma
TAMPA, Fla. -- Doctors in Florida are the first in the world to administer an investigational vaccine to treat a type of melanoma that spreads in the lymph nodes, WFLA-TV in Tampa reported.
WFLA reported Anne Harper, 78, of Fort Myers, Fla., travels three hours to the Lakeland Regional Cancer Center to be the first in the world to get a dose of an investigational vaccine designed to fight the aggressive melanoma that's already come back three times in her left leg.
"Its actually a series of injections, a very small needle that we inject a vaccine under the skin. Each time Ms. Harper comes in, she gets eight vaccines," said Robin Stewart, a registered nurse who is the associate director of clinical research at Lakeland.
Dr. Douglas Rankin, Harper's oncologist, is among more than a dozen doctors worldwide conducting a clinical trial to determine the drug's effectiveness.
He said the vaccine will help patients' bodies battle melanoma.
"Hopefully, through this series of immunizations ..., the immune system will become revved up and will start to actually destroy the melanoma deposits, on the leg in Mrs. Harper's case," Reitgan said.
Eventually Lakeland will have about 20 participants in its part of the clinical trial, but Rankin said it will take at least five years to collect all the data that will ultimately determine if the vaccine is available for widespread use.
TAMPA, Fla. -- Doctors in Florida are the first in the world to administer an investigational vaccine to treat a type of melanoma that spreads in the lymph nodes, WFLA-TV in Tampa reported.
WFLA reported Anne Harper, 78, of Fort Myers, Fla., travels three hours to the Lakeland Regional Cancer Center to be the first in the world to get a dose of an investigational vaccine designed to fight the aggressive melanoma that's already come back three times in her left leg.
"Its actually a series of injections, a very small needle that we inject a vaccine under the skin. Each time Ms. Harper comes in, she gets eight vaccines," said Robin Stewart, a registered nurse who is the associate director of clinical research at Lakeland.
Dr. Douglas Rankin, Harper's oncologist, is among more than a dozen doctors worldwide conducting a clinical trial to determine the drug's effectiveness.
He said the vaccine will help patients' bodies battle melanoma.
"Hopefully, through this series of immunizations ..., the immune system will become revved up and will start to actually destroy the melanoma deposits, on the leg in Mrs. Harper's case," Reitgan said.
Eventually Lakeland will have about 20 participants in its part of the clinical trial, but Rankin said it will take at least five years to collect all the data that will ultimately determine if the vaccine is available for widespread use.
