Active clinical trials for "Breast Neoplasms"

The purpose of this research study is to evaluate the effects of the chemotherapeutic drug, Trastuzumab (Herceptin) on the heart. Trastuzumab (Herceptin) is used to treat specific types of breast cancer and is known to cause weakening of the heart. Unfortunately, little is know as to why this this happens. The investigators want to identify any factors that may lead to the early detection, treatment and prevention of the cardiotoxicity (heart problem) associated with this drug.

This research study is a pilot study designed to evaluate magnetic resonance imaging-guided therapy (MRT) as a possible treatment for breast cancer. In this pilot study, the investigators are studying if it is possible to use intra-operative MRI to guide surgery. The therapy takes place in the Advanced Multimodality Image Guided Operating (AMIGO) suite at Brigham and Women's Hospital. The purpose of this study is to investigate if it is possible to perform the breast conserving surgery with the help of intra-operative magnetic resonance imaging in the advanced multimodality image guided operating suite. It is hoped that intra operative MRI may improve the surgeon's ability to know the exact margins of tumor. Currently, approximately 40% of women need to come back to the operating room and have the margins of the cancer re-excised.

The purpose of this prospective observational study is to understand the relationship between paclitaxel exposure and development of peripheral neuropathy during treatment.

Breast cancer represents the most frequent form of neoplasia in women worldwide, being responsible of 1.6% of annual deaths. Therefore, it is a major public health issue and research in this field should be a priority. Taxanes, such as paclitaxel and docetaxel, are extremely powerful antineoplastic drugs, which alone or in association to anthracyclines, increase survival and lower the recurrence rate of cancer, but their use is limited by cardiotoxicity. Cardiotoxicity can appear early or late after therapy, and may vary from subclinical myocardial dysfunction to irreversible heart failure. Currently, cardiac dysfunction induced by taxanes is diagnosed through classical echocardiographic parameters. However, these cannot detect subtle, early changes of cardiac structure and function. Consequently, description of new parameters, which could detect cardiac dysfunction in an early stage, becomes essential for detecting the group of patients at risk for irreversible heart failure. The objectives of the investigators project, in patients with breast cancer treated with taxanes, are to investigate their mechanisms which lead to cardiac dysfunction, to describe new parameters for the early diagnosis of cardiotoxicity, and to define predictive models for cardiotoxicity. Meanwhile, project will publish the results in prestigious journals, leading to an increase of the visibility of Romanian research internationally.

Background: - Studies have shown that changes in breast density (the amount of white area on a woman's mammogram) may be related to changes in breast cancer risk. Currently, there is no ideal way to measure breast density repeatedly over time. Researchers want to test whether ultrasound tomography scans can show changes in breast density. To examine these changes, healthy volunteers with no history of breast cancer and women who are taking tamoxifen will have ultrasound tomography scans. Objectives: - To test whether ultrasound tomography scans can show changes in breast density related to tamoxifen exposure. Eligibility: - Women between 30 and 70 years of age who are (a) taking tamoxifen or (b) healthy volunteers who have never had breast cancer. Design: All participants will have a screening visit. Healthy volunteers will have one additional study visit; women taking tamoxifen will have three additional study visits. All participants will be screened with a physical exam and medical history. They will also give blood and saliva samples. This visit will also include an initial ultrasound tomography breast scan. For the healthy volunteers: At the study visit (12 months after the screening visit), participants will have a short interview and be weighed. They will also have an ultrasound tomography breast scan and provide a blood sample. For the women taking tamoxifen: At the second and third visits (1 to 3 months and 3 to 6 months after starting tamoxifen), participants will have a short interview. They will also be weighed and have an ultrasound tomography breast scan. At the fourth visit (12 months after starting tamoxifen), participants will have a short interview, weight measurement, and the ultrasound tomography breast scan, and will also provide a blood sample. All participants may be followed for up to 5 years after their final study visit.

The purpose of this study is to compare two different ways of teaching people how to give injections at home. The first is what we do now, which is teaching patients and/or their caregivers verbally and by giving written instructions. The second is what we do now (verbal and written instructions) along with a demonstration and practice using a needle and an injection pad that feels similar to skin and fat. This is being done to find the best method for teaching people to give an injection at home.

Postmenopausal women who have hormone receptor positive breast cancer are typically treated with aromatase inhibitor medications, which substantially decrease the amount of estrogen produced by their bodies. These medications are fairly well tolerated, but can cause aches and pains which can be quite severe in some cases. People experience pain differently. Estrogen appears to play a role in how we experience pain. Therefore, decreasing estrogen levels may lead to more pain in some women than others. The goal of this study is to evaluate perception of pain in women with breast cancer, and to determine if differences in pain perception lead to more aches and pains in some women treated with aromatase inhibitors. In this study, we plan to enroll 55 women with breast cancer who are starting treatment with an aromatase inhibitor. Participants will undergo testing to evaluate their perception of pain, and will also complete a set of questionnaires. Testing will be conducted before starting aromatase inhibitor therapy, as well as after 3 and 6 months of therapy. We will investigate whether pre-existing differences in pain perception lead to different amounts of pain during aromatase inhibitor therapy.

Prognostic assessment after preoperative systemic therapy (PST) plays a vital role in breast cancer patients. The clinical-pathologic staging system incorporating estrogen receptor (ER)-negative disease and nuclear grade 3 tumor pathology (CPS+EG staging system) can effectively predict prognosis after PST. The Neo-Bioscore has been developed by the incorporation of the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status into the CPS+EG staging system. But in a real world in China, the both staging systems had limits because of trastuzumab administration varied a lot in China from the United States. This retrospective study will validate CPS+EG and Neo-Bioscore system and explored a modified Neo-Bioscore system in multiple centers.

To study the real world use of 500mg Fulvestrant in HR+ MBC.

This research is being conducted to develop consensus on surveillance mammography and follow-up for breast cancer survivors who are age ≥75.