Omaha - Call it, a medical miracle. A vaccine for breast cancer. Researchers at UNMC are testing a new way to battle the disease, and so far, it's proving to be a success.

A diagnosis, of breast cancer.

"To me, it was devastating," said Jackie Hill, who found out she had breast cancer in 2001.

But today, she's cancer free.

"I had radiation, I had chemotherapy."

A survivor, with one lingering fear. What if her cancer comes back?

"If there was some kind of vaccine that could take that fear away that would be a wonderful thing," Jackie said.

And at the hospital where she works as a nurse, researchers believe that 'wonderful thing' is closer than ever to reality. UNMC Dr. James Talmadge is working on what's called the P53 Vaccine.

It's a process called immunotherapy. The vaccine uses a patient's own cells to increase the production of t-cells in the body. T-cells kill tumors.

25 Nebraska woman, recently diagnosed with breast cancer, took part in the study. Doctors gave them the vaccine and the results are promising.

"Signifigant number of woman developed an immune response to the vaccine. So we think there is an ability to stimulate an immune response, but we want it to be a much more robust response," said Dr. Ken Cowan.

So now, researchers at UNMC are building on what they've learned, in an effort to make this vaccine better. Dr. Talmadge believes ultimately it could fight half of cancers out there.

It's the first step in a long journey that could end with a cure for breast cancer and beyond.

"We're maybe halfway there. Five to seven years would be probably very optimistic," said Dr. Talmadge.

Reported by Chriss Knight, cknight@action3news.com