Darby Steadman, 38, of Severna Park, Maryland was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004. The cancer returned in 2007, despite her aggressive double mastectomy treatment approach at the time (Baltimore Sun, Oct. 12-17, 2008).

Darby, now considered a terminally ill patient (advanced disease status and not responding to treatments), enrolled in Dr. Leisha Emens’s cancer vaccine immunotherapy trial in the Johns Hopkins Hospital. The experimental therapy will involve first selectively killing regulatory T lymphocytes that suppress the immune system by injecting a chemoagent (cyclophosphamide). Twelve shots of a breast cancer vaccine made by Dr. Emens will follow. The vaccine, which is ... Read more