Healthier Together: Getting closer to a breast cancer vaccine

In a little over two weeks, the Susan G. Komen ‘More than Pink’ Walk will pass through Seattle after a major fundraising effort.

The effort -- sponsored by KIRO 7 -- raises money to help women with breast cancer.

For this week’s Healthier Together, KIRO 7′s Ranji Sinha spoke to two women involved with the walk and their hope for treatment that could someday eradicate breast cancer.

Beth Dotolo is a cancer survivor and an interior designer who owns Pulp Design Studios.

She has an office in Seattle and met KIRO 7 at her studio to share her story.

“I was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, and when I finished my treatment, I immediately knew I wanted to give back,” Dotolo said.

When it comes to breast cancer awareness, Dotolo has always shared her story as an example and an inspiration.

She sits on the board of the Susan G. Komen Foundation in Washington.

Dr. Eileen Consorti is also on the local Komen board.

She’s a doctor at Overlake Medical Center, the Medical Director of Overlake’s Cancer Center, and a cancer surgeon.

“Komen is a really valuable resource. I think last year they provided 10 million dollars in support,” Dr. Consorti said.

She has always touted the group when it comes to the work dealing with breast cancer.

“We see patients with challenges -- challenges with transportation issues, getting to their radiation treatments, challenges just being able to afford a screening mammogram,” Dr. Consorti said.

Both women are intimately aware of breast cancer’s impact, and both want it gone for good.

Dotolo knows Komen’s ‘More than Pink’ walk grows yearly but hopes a cure could stop it all.

“I think there’s a lot more awareness, and people are realizing we are kind of at the precipice of finding a way to hopefully beat this,” Dotolo said.

Komen’s efforts stretch well beyond supporting patients.

The group says it has helped fuel 2,800 research grants in 47 states, the District of Columbia, and 24 countries.

It has also helped launch nearly 550 clinical trials and helped more than 200 research advocates.

All that work may pay off soon.

In April, we spoke to University of Washington researchers floating the possibility we could see a vaccine to prevent and do away with breast cancer and many others, maybe in the next ten years.

Dr. Mary L. ‘Nora’ Disis spoke to KIRO 7 in April about the massive advancements in cancer research.

“We’ve gone from 0-to-60 just in my career and I do believe that immune therapy using the immune system to fight cancer is here,” Dr. Disis said.

Dr. Disis admitted that the fast-track development of a COVID-19 vaccine has helped move the development of a cancer vaccine forward.

“We did that with infectious disease and it changed our lives. It extended our lives. Let’s do that now with cancer vaccines.,” Dr. Disis said.

Dr. Consorti also admitted that the potential for a cancer vaccine is not just clinical research, it’s personal.

“I’m very excited that I have to say a significant other that was in a vaccine trial had a neck malignancy. He would have been long gone by now if it weren’t for that vaccine trial,” Dr. Consorti said.

She’s hopeful a vaccine cure could put her out of work.

“Absolutely, I have no issues with that,” Dr. Consorti said.

Dotolo admits a potential breast cancer vaccine truly seemed out of reach.

“I think it’s amazing. I think for the longest time it felt like a dream,” Dotolo said.

Strides are being made to help women like Dotolo who have been diagnosed with then surviving cancer.

For her, a cure may be too late, but she and Dr. Consorti will participate in the ‘More than Pink’ walk if it leads to a cancer-free future.

Dotolo knows the stakes are high but so is the promise.

“There is the potential for a cure to this disease and it’s not just a pipe dream. It feels like it’s at our fingertips. We just need to keep trying to raise funds to do more research,” Dotolo said.

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