Active clinical trials for "Breast Neoplasms"

This protocol is designed to compare the effect on bone of Zoledronic Acid 4 mg every 6 months when given upfront versus delayed start (based on a post-baseline BMD T- Score below -2.0 SD at either the lumbar spine or total hip, or any clinical fracture unrelated to trauma, or an asymptomatic fracture discovered at the month 36 scheduled visit) in stage I-IIIb postmenopausal women with hormone receptor positive breast cancer who will receive Letrozole 2.5 mg daily as an adjuvant therapy.

RATIONALE: The monoclonal antibody trastuzumab can locate breast cancer cells that have HER2 on their surface and either kill them or deliver tumor-killing substances to them without harming normal cells. Estrogen can stimulate the growth of breast cancer cells. Hormone therapy using exemestane may fight breast cancer by reducing the production of estrogen. Combining trastuzumab with exemestane may be an effective treatment for breast cancer with high amounts of HER2. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combining trastuzumab with exemestane in treating postmenopausal women who have metastatic or locally advanced HER2-positive breast cancer.

RATIONALE: Chemoprevention is the use of certain drugs to keep cancer from forming, growing, or coming back. The use of IH636 grape seed extract may prevent breast cancer. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of IH636 grape seed extract in preventing breast cancer in postmenopausal women at risk of developing breast cancer.

The primary goal of this 5-year study is to determine whether exemestane alone or in combination with celecoxib decreases breast tissue density in healthy postmenopausal women at high risk for breast cancer. Dense breast tissue seen on mammography has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer. The study will also examine the effects of exemestane and celecoxib on bone density, blood hormone levels and quality of life. Exemestane, approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treating postmenopausal women with breast cancer, lowers the amount of estrogen in the body. Celecoxib, approved for treating arthritis pain and for reducing the number or colon polyps in an inherited syndrome, is an anti-inflammatory drug. Half of the women in the study will receive exemestane alone and half will receive exemestane and celecoxib together. In December 2004, the arm using exemestane and celecoxib was closed to accrual Postmenopausal women who are at increased risk for developing invasive breast cancer may be eligible to participate. Candidates are screened with breast cancer risk assessment, medical history and physical examination, blood tests, review of medical records, if needed, breast biopsy, and dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan to assess bone density. For the DEXA scan, the subject lies still on a table for about 30 minutes while the spine and hip are scanned using a small amount of radiation. Participants take exemestane in pill form once a day for 2 years. They also take calcium and vitamin D pills daily to help protect bone health. They are followed in the clinic during the course of the study to determine the amount of drug taken and any side effects, and for the following tests and procedures: Medical evaluation and blood tests at after 1 and 3 months on study drugs Medical evaluation at 6 months Breast biopsy at screening and then at 12 months dual-emission x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan of the spine, mammogram and routine blood tests before starting study drugs and then yearly for 5 years.

RATIONALE: Sentinel lymph node biopsy and gene expression profiling of the primary breast tumor may help determine if tumor cells have spread to the axillary lymph nodes and help doctors plan more effective surgery for breast cancer. PURPOSE: This clinical trial is studying how well sentinel lymph node biopsy and primary tumor gene expression profiling work in finding lymph node metastases in women who have received neoadjuvant therapy for stage II, stage III, or stage IV breast cancer.

RATIONALE: High estrogen levels may be associated with dense breast tissue and an increased risk of developing breast cancer. Exemestane may be effective in preventing the development of breast cancer by decreasing estrogen levels and reducing breast density. PURPOSE: Randomized clinical trial to study the effectiveness of exemestane in preventing the development of breast cancer by decreasing estrogen levels and reducing breast density in postmenopausal women who are at increased risk for breast cancer.

RATIONALE: Zoledronate may delay or prevent bone marrow metastases in patients with breast cancer. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well zoledronate works in treating bone marrow micrometastases in women with stage I, stage II, or stage III breast cancer.

The primary purpose of this study is to examine the effect of a brief preoperative smoking intervention on postoperative complications in women undergoing breast cancer surgery. Secondary purposes are to examine long-term smoking cessation rates and experienced stress and nicotine withdrawal symptoms during the smoking cessation period.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether zoledronic acid given intravenously every 6 months can prevent reduction in bone mineral density in women with early stage breast cancer receiving adjuvant therapy with the aromatase inhibitor drug letrozole, after having received adjuvant tamoxifen.

The purpose of this study is to see what kinds of breast tumors will respond to lapatinib. Lapatinib is an experimental medicine which may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth.