BAY VILLAGE, Ohio–Carolyn Young in the fight of her life.
The wife and mother of four was diagnosed with Stage Three breast cancer two years ago at 43 years old.
“It was already into my armpit, lymph nodes and into my collarbone,” Young said. “I started the fight right away. I started my treatment plan with chemotherapy because it had already spread, so the chemo would shrink the tumors. Then I went onto surgery and radiation.”
Now, Young is taking her care to another level. She is one of several patients in a pilot breast cancer vaccine at University Hospitals.
“i’m going to do whatever I need to do to combat this, she asid. “You have to quickly change your mindset, stay positive and keep living. Live every moment to its fullest.”
The University Hospitals vaccine, developed by oncologist Dr. Joseph Baar, targets triple-negative breast cancer–the most aggressive of its kind.
The vaccine started about a year-and-a-half ago, and failed in its first round. Baar said the second round of trials has come back with positive results.
“We’ve actually got the vaccine to work,” Baar said. “We’ve now immunized four patients, two of which now, have responded to the vaccine.”
The cancer is so agressive it often returns, and there is no true treatment beyond surgery.
The vaccine aims to help the body defend against a protein, called a mucin, which is found on cancer cells.
“For some reason, the immune system isn’t recognizing them,” Baar said. “So, what we do is give them a boost with this vaccine to sort of wake up the immune system and tell it, you know, you have to recognize this abnormal protein.”
While the vaccine is still in its infancy, it gives hope to Young and her family.
“It’s tough, definitely tough, but a humbling experience,” she said. “I have to feel like I have done all I can to fight this and seeing success in the trial makes me feel that I’ll be there for them for a long time.”