Active clinical trials for "Breast Neoplasms"

The primary endpoint of this phase II trial is the objective response rate of the stage I (low-dose) regimen. The secondary endpoints include treatment-related toxicity, the change in quality of life, progression free survival and overall survival. Simon's optimal two-stage design will be used to determine the patient number.

Background Seroma formation is a common problem after mastectomy. The incidence various between 30% to 92%. It is often an ongoing problem after removal of the suction drain, and repeated skin puncture is necessary to remove the seroma. In addition to many ambulatory visits this also leads to an increased risk of infection, and the adjuvant treatment can be delayed for several weeks Different procedures have been tried to avoid seroma formation. Among these are for ex. : immobilisation of the arm and shoulder after mastectomy, different drain regimens, closing of the dead space of the cavity, different chemical substances as thrombin, tranexamacid and fibrin. Non of these results has been successful. Seroma formation is most likely the result of the inflammatory response due to wound healing. In the seroma fluid several factors have been detected that support this assumption. These factors are: high levels of IgG, leucocytes, granulocytes, proteinases, proteinases inhibitors, different kinds of cytokines ( tPA, uPA,, uPAR, PAI-1, PAI-2, IL-6 og IL-1). On the basis of this, an inhibition of the inflammatory response might result in a decrease of seroma formation, and perhaps improve quality of life after mastectomy. Steroids inhibit the inflammatory response for example by inhibition of the cytokine function. It has been shown that a high single dose of steroid infusion (30mg/kg solu-medrol) inhibits the normal IL 6 response after colon resection. Newer studies have shown that even at a lower dose the inflammatory response is inhibited. In several studies of head and neck surgery the oedema in surgical area is reduced after a single dose of 125 mg solumedrol. It is precisely this effect of reduced fluid formation we want to obtain in our study. We have therefore chosen to use a single dose of 125 mg of solumedrol in this study. Even at the largest single dose of glucocorticoids there have not been seen any increasing in surgical complications. The aim of the study: To find out whether single dose of glucocorticoid can reduce the seroma formation after mastectomy Study design : A randomised pilot study, with 2 x 20 patients. 125 mg solumedrol is given 1,5 hours before surgery in 20 patients, and the other 20 patients are the control group Inclusion criteria: Women with primary breast cancer, undergoing a mastectomy with either sentinel node biopsy or complete axillary dissection.

The primary endpoint of this phase II trial is the objective response rate of the stage I (low-dose) regimen. The secondary endpoints include treatment-related toxicity, the change in quality of life, progression free survival and overall survival.

RATIONALE: Estrogen can stimulate the growth of breast cancer cells. Hormone therapy using exemestane or tamoxifen may fight breast cancer by blocking the uptake of estrogen. It is not yet known whether exemestane is more effective than tamoxifen in treating breast cancer. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of exemestane with that of tamoxifen in treating postmenopausal women with primary breast cancer who have already received 2-3 years of tamoxifen following surgery.

RATIONALE: Radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies can locate tumor cells and deliver tumor-killing substances to them without harming normal cells. Peripheral stem cell transplantation may allow the doctor to give higher doses of chemotherapy drugs and kill more tumor cells. Sometimes the transplanted cells can make an immune response against the body's normal tissues. Cyclosporine may prevent this from happening. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of radiolabeled monoclonal antibody plus cyclosporine and peripheral stem cell transplantation in treating patients who have metastatic breast cancer that has not responded to previous therapy.

RATIONALE: Estrogen can stimulate the growth of breast cancer cells. Hormone therapy using tamoxifen may fight breast cancer by blocking the uptake of estrogen by the tumor cells. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of at least 2 years of tamoxifen with that of 5 additional years of tamoxifen in treating women who have breast cancer that has been surgically removed.

RATIONALE: Drugs such as SU006668 may stop the growth of solid tumors by stopping blood flow to the tumor. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of SU006668 in treating patients who have advanced solid tumors.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combining liposomal doxorubicin with gemcitabine in treating women who have metastatic breast cancer.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of docetaxel and ifosfamide in treating women who have metastatic breast cancer.

RATIONALE: Diagnostic procedures such as sentinel lymph node biopsy may improve the ability to detect breast cancer and determine the extent of disease. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of sentinel lymph node biopsy to assess axillary lymph nodes in women who have stage I or stage II breast cancer.