Active clinical trials for "Breast Neoplasms"

In the REaCT-Vascular Access Trastuzumab study (REaCT-VA), the investigator will use a novel method to allow comparisons of established standard of care vascular access strategies using the "integrated consent model" as part of a pragmatic clinical trial. The investigator wishes to address a non-pharmacologic issue regarding standard of care vascular access devices. Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC lines) versus subcutaneously implanted devices (PORTs).

The purpose of this research study is to demonstrate that Deep Inspiration Breath Hold (DIBH), the technique used at the University of North Carolina (UNC) for left-side breast cancer radiation therapy, can reduce side effects to the heart.

Primary Objective: (i) To identify panels of RNAs and proteins predictive of response to HER2 targeted agents, considering clinical responses. (ii) To investigate associations between presence vs. absence (or relative levels) of identified extracellular (EC) RNAs/proteins and patients' clinicopathological characteristics, including age at diagnosis, time to progression and overall survival, as well as correlations with serum protein biomarkers routinely analysed for these patients. (iii) To compare HER2 positive samples versus HER2 negative samples for the existence of RNAs/proteins identified in (i) and (ii). Secondary Objective: To develop a predictive model for use in the HER2 positive population based on the most accurate and sensitive combination of the identified biomarkers.

The purpose of the study is to determine whether the type of anesthesia during breast cancer surgery has any impact on the way a patient's immune system functions for a brief period after surgery. If the investigators find that one type of anesthesia versus the other is more beneficial to a patient's immune system, then the investigators may use this information to design a larger study to exam the effect of anesthesia better.

This research proposal concerns a study to monitor the effects of chemotherapy on breast cancer tumour and peritumour stromal cells using ultrasound (US) elastography (also known as strain imaging). Many cancer treatments currently being developed are targeted; that is they exploit particular biological processes in specific cancer cell types to disrupt tumour growth. Being able to monitor the efficacy of these typically high-cost drug therapies is essential both for the best patient outcome as well as offering economical benefits to the health care system and much needed insight into future drug development. Ultrasound provides a relatively inexpensive, non-invasive means for imaging cancers, and has been used widely in breast cancer diagnosis for many years. Its role in therapy monitoring has been suggested but has not been well explored. The purpose of this proposal is to explore this potential in more depth. It has been identified that significant interaction takes place between tumour and stroma through all stages of tumour growth; this complex relationship is an ongoing topic of research. Fibrotic changes occur during tumour growth and are also a quintessential process of healing. Indeed, fibrosis is a common after effect to chemotherapy in many forms of cancer. Elastography is an established imaging technique (based on ultrasound or MRI) which can estimate the relative stiffness of tissues in vivo and is thus well-suited to monitor these particular biological processes. This elucidates the main hypothesis of this project: fibrosis, cancer cell necrosis and inflammation may all contribute to a measurable response in elastography. These changes to the tissue composition can be imaged over a course of a patient's treatment to assess the response to chemo/hormonal therapy. The ultimate project goals are to develop a clinical tool (based on ultrasound elastography) to improve treatment management in addition to offering a better biological understanding of tumour/stroma behaviour.

This is a multicenter, post-authorization observational with prospective follow-up (EPA-SP) study. Will be involved 137 metastatic breast cancer patients or metastatic colorectal cancer. The hypertension will be evaluated as a predictor of efficacy of bevacizumab associated with chemotherapy, in terms of progression-free survival (PFS) (Main endpoint). The duration of the study will be approximately 42 months.

This multicenter, single-arm observational study will evaluate the clinical benefits of Avastin (bevacizumab) in combination with paclitaxel in first-line treatment in patients with metastatic breast cancer. Patients with metastatic breast cancer who have started Avastin treatment within 6 months prior to study start will also be eligible. Data will be collected from patients for up to 5 years.

Although many attempts have been done to identify vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) correlated with bevacizumab response, in advanced cancer patients, the results are still inconclusive. We will conduct a pharmacogenetic study to assess, in a population of metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients, the possible predictive role of VEGF-A, VEGF receptor-2 (VEGFR-2), interleukin-8 (IL-8), hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), hypoxia inducible factor-2α (HIF-2α) and thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) SNPs for bevacizumab response when combined with first-line paclitaxel and for progression free survival (PFS). Analyses will be performed on germline DNA obtained from blood samples and SNPs will be investigated by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. The multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR) methodology will be applied to investigate the interaction between SNPs.

Background: - Researchers want to learn more about breast cancer in Latin American women. They also want to learn how and why women respond differently to standard treatment. Tissue and blood samples from women with breast cancer are needed to study this disease in order to find new ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat it. Objective: - To learn more about the biology and genetics of breast cancer in Latin American women. Eligibility: - Latin American women age 18 and older of all ethnic backgrounds who have clinical stage II or III breast cancer. They must still be active and able to self-care. Design: Participants are only agreeing to have extra tissue or blood samples collected. They are also letting tissue left over from surgery be used for research. No procedures outside of standard care will be done. Participants may have a medical history, physical exam, and blood tests. They may have a pregnancy test. They may have an ultrasound, mammogram, and other scans. They may have an intravenous needle placed in an arm vein. Participants may have a core biopsy. For this, a needle is inserted into the breast. A piece of tissue is extracted. Participants who have chemotherapy may have blood taken after treatment/before surgery. Tissue may also be collected. Participants will complete a questionnaire. It will ask about their social and economic background. It will ask about their family history of cancer. It will also ask about access to diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. Participants may be followed for up to 5 years.

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of breast reconstruction using Autologous Fat Grafting (AFG) for women post lumpectomy that have contour defects. The study hypothesis is that AFG has emerged as a less invasive alternative to breast reconstruction post mastectomy. AFG could be used to treat breast contour defects with much less invasive outpatient surgery, using the patient's own cells and tissues, which overall reduces risk.