Active clinical trials for "Breast Neoplasms"

Background: Identification of new biomarkers with potential predictive and prognostic role has contributed unequivocally to breast cancer treatment. Although traditionally endocrine therapy is based on hormonal receptors status (estrogen - ER and progesterone- PR), some patients become hormone resistant. In order to identify a possible profile associated to hormonal resistance, some biomarkers have been assessed after short period primary hormone therapy (HT). Objectives: To compare the expression of Ki-67, Bcl2, Bax, Bak, ER and e PR in postmenopausal women with ER positive invasive ductal carcinomas (IDC), prior and after tamoxifen and anastrozole in short term hormone therapy.

To investigate the global incidence of the endometrial changes in postmenopausal women receiving Anastrozole for the adjuvant treatment of hormone receptors positive breast cancer.

The purpose of this study is to learn about how patients who have looked up cancer-related information on the internet talk with their doctors. We are interested in these conversations even if the patients do not think they will talk about the information with their doctor during their visit. We will audio record doctor-patient visits and listen to these recordings to learn about how patients who have looked up cancer-related internet information talk to their doctors and how their doctors talk to them. We will also give patients questionnaires before and after their appointments to learn about what they think about communicating with their doctors.

RATIONALE: Studying changes in breast density and blood hormone levels in women receiving anastrozole or exemestane for breast cancer may help doctors learn more about the long-term effects of treatment and may help the study of breast cancer in the future. PURPOSE: This clinical trial is studying changes in breast density and blood hormone levels in postmenopausal women receiving anastrozole or exemestane for breast cancer.

The specific aims of this study are: To test the feasibility of a randomized controlled trial of a weight gain prevention program for breast cancer survivors that combines exercise and dietary changes during treatment. Feasibility will be evaluated by examining data on recruitment rate, attendance at intervention sessions, drop-out rates in both study conditions, assessment completion rates, and participant feedback. To test the effect of a weight gain prevention program, compared to usual care, on weight, body composition, and biomarkers related to breast cancer prognosis. To explore whether changes in physical activity, energy intake, and resting energy expenditure predict weight gain among breast cancer survivors. To test the effect of a weight gain prevention program on quality of life variables.

To compare DBT and FFDM for screening effectiveness in women who present for screening mammography with respect to screening recall rate.

Patients with cancer often complain that their "mind does not seem to be clear." This can be due to stress, depression, anxiety, or physical problems caused by cancer or the treatments used to control symptoms. There are many purposes for this study; one of them is to learn about the effects of cancer treatments on the brain, and another is to identify useful tools to detect these effects. The results of this study may stimulate new research comparing different treatments to the current treatment so the researchers may learn how to treat symptoms more effectively and improve patient quality of life. We would also like to learn more about the effects chemotherapy may have on DNA.

A randomized trial from the British National Health Service found that supervised exercise benefits women with early stage breast cancer with improved functional and psychological benefit after a 12-week intervention and 6 months later. Considering the needs of breast cancer patients and survivors and the reported benefits of exercise and yoga intervention, the investigators propose a pilot study of an 8-week yoga intervention in breast cancer patients. This study would specifically address measures of fatigue and psychosocial distress in the population of breast cancer patients during treatment and within the year following treatment. Currently there is very limited literature on yoga intervention in this population.

The investigators plan to investigate the protective effects of topical sulforaphane-containing broccoli-sprout extracts (BSE) on radiation-induced dermatitis in women undergoing external-beam radiation therapy for breast cancer. Topical sulforaphane induces phase 2 enzymes that are protective against oxidants, electrophiles, and inflammation (Talalay and Fahey, 2001) - all of which are generated by both ultraviolet and ionizing radiation. Previous work from the investigators' group demonstrated that sulforaphane treatment protects against ultraviolet radiation-induced erythema of human skin (IRB protocol NA_00004897; Talalay et al. 2007). This investigation will extend the investigators' previous work by employing ionizing rather than ultraviolet radiation. The investigators propose a two part sequential protocol (Study A and Study B). Both studies will involve women with breast cancer who have undergone lumpectomy and are scheduled for adjuvant external beam radiation treatment. In study A, the investigators will validate their technique for measurement of skin erythema using a device called a chromometer; no active agent will be applied (up to 6 women). Study B will follow completion of Study A. Study B will involve the application of broccoli sprout extracts (BSE) or vehicle alone to determine if sulforaphane can reduce radiation-induced erythema (27 women). Four adjacent, 1.5-cm diameter areas-of-interest on the affected breast will be located by means of an adhesive vinyl template which can be accurately and repeatedly placed at the same position. Two of the four areas will be treated with BSE (active agent) and two with vehicle (inactive control). BSE will be applied on three days weekly throughout the 5-week period of whole breast radiation. Erythema will be noninvasively quantified by measuring the red-reflectance of the skin with a chromometer up to three times weekly throughout treatment. A total of 33 patients are to be enrolled. The investigators' objective is to determine and quantify the effect of topical BSE on radiation-induced skin erythema. This study will employ standard, clinically-accepted radiation doses and techniques that are safe and well tolerated. The safety and tolerability of both oral and topical broccoli sprout preparations is well established; no safety concerns have been noted. (Shapiro et al. 2006; Dinkova-Kostova et al. 2007).

The investigators plan to examine endoxifen and 4-OH-Tam as a function of the tamoxifen dose in patients with a genetic CYP2D6 polymorphism. The investigators also plan to investigate other genetic variations in the metabolism of tamoxifen.