Active clinical trials for "Breast Neoplasms"

The study uses a molecule or particle that is found only on cancer cells and is unique to cancer cells, as it is not detected on normal tissue. The molecule is known as "oncofetal antigen" or OFA. Because OFA is unique to cancer, the investigators feel OFA could be used to educate the patients' own defenses to more effectively fight the cancer on his or her own, that he or she is harboring. Although investigators found OFA to be present in large concentrations on all cancers, it was found to be especially abundant in breast cancers. Therefore, the investigators feel that this molecule would be a good target for stimulating patient defenses especially against breast cancer cells. To accomplish this, certain defense cells (immune cells)will be washed out from the patients' blood using a machine to which the patient is connected through two small cannula placed into veins located in the patients' arms those cells will be manipulated in the laboratory with artificially engineered OFA. These "reeducated" cells will be injected into the skin of patients. There will be a series of three skin injections in 4 week intervals. It is hoped that this treatment will convert the patients' defenses to a point that effective anti-cancer responses will be induced. Effectiveness of the treatment will be monitored with blood tests and assessment of the size of the cancers.

Randomized phase III trial to determine the effectiveness of High dose versus Standard dose of Vitamin D2 (Ergocalciferol) given with Docetaxel in patients with metastatic breast cancer

The purpose of this study is to determine if the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for breast cancer translates into better surgical outcomes. MRIs may help ensure that as little healthy tissue is removed as is possible and may help prevent the need for additional surgical procedures.

RATIONALE: Lapatinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Estrogen can cause the growth of breast cancer cells. Hormone therapy using tamoxifen may fight breast cancer by blocking the use of estrogen by the tumor cells. Giving lapatinib together with tamoxifen may be an effective treatment for breast cancer. PURPOSE: This randomized phase I trial is studying the side effects of lapatinib and tamoxifen in treating patients with advanced or metastatic breast cancer.

A multi-center, open-label, single-arm Phase II trial assessing the efficacy and safety of weekly bolus infusions of 5-fluorouracil combined with CoFactor (5-10 methylenetetrahydrofolate) in advanced breast cancer patients who failed anthracycline and taxane chemotherapy regimens.

The primary purpose of this study is to determine whether breast cancer tumors respond (as measured by pathologic complete response: the absence of microscopic evidence of invasive tumor cells in the breast) to combined chemotherapy of AC(doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide) followed by paclitaxel plus trastuzumab or lapatinib or both given before surgery to patients with HER2-positive breast cancer. Trastuzumab will also be given to all patients after surgery. The study will also evaluate the toxic effects of the chemotherapy combination, including effects on the heart, and will determine survival and progression-free survival 5 years after treatment. Also, the study will look at whether there are gene expression profiles in the tumor tissue that can predict pathologic complete response.

Primary Study Objective: To assess the pathological complete response rate (pCR) with 4-6 cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus erlotinib in patients with triple negative breast cancer.

The purpose of this study is to determine wether RAD001 can inhibit growth of tumour cells and/or stop the formation and activity of bone degrading osteoclasts.

RATIONALE: Estrogen can cause the growth of breast cancer cells. Hormone therapy using tamoxifen may fight breast cancer by blocking use of estrogen by the tumor cells. Anastrozole, letrozole, and exemestane may fight breast cancer by lowering the amount of estrogen the body makes. It is not yet known whether giving tamoxifen followed by anastrozole, letrozole, or exemestane is more effective than giving anastrozole, letrozole, or exemestane alone in treating breast cancer. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying giving tamoxifen followed by either anastrozole, letrozole, or exemestane to see how well it works compared to anastrozole, letrozole, or exemestane alone in treating postmenopausal women with hormone-responsive invasive breast cancer that has been completely removed by surgery.

This research study will look at the effect of an anti-angiogenesis medication called Bevacizumab on blood vessels. Anti-angiogenesis medicines fight cancer by cutting off a tumor's blood supply, starving the tumor of nutrients and oxygen. Previous studies have shown these types of drugs can cause hypertension. The purpose of this study is to help researchers better understand why these drugs cause hypertension. This information will assist researchers in learning how to control this side effect.