Evaluating blood and imaging tests to measure treatment response in metastatic breast cancer with bone involvement
Official title: Role of ctDNA change as a response measure in the EA1183 patient population and how ctDNA changes correlate with metabolic response by serial FDG PET/CT
Funded at University of Washington · NIH-10910869 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how tracking changes in tumor DNA and using special imaging can help us understand how well treatment is working for people with breast cancer that has spread to the bones, so we can better predict their health outcomes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | July 15, 2021 |
| Project end | June 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $218,891 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA251803-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-10910869 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients diagnosed with bone dominant or bone only metastatic breast cancer who are participating in the EA1183 FEATURE trial.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non-bone metastatic breast cancer or those not participating in the EA1183 FEATURE trial may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how changes in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and metabolic responses observed through FDG-PET/CT imaging can provide better measures of treatment response for patients with bone dominant and bone only metastatic breast cancer. By integrating these two approaches, the study aims to determine if they can predict important clinical outcomes such as progression-free survival and time to skeletal-related events. Patients will have their ctDNA collected and undergo imaging to assess their disease status over time, providing a non-invasive way to monitor their response to therapy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved methods for assessing treatment effectiveness in patients with metastatic breast cancer, potentially leading to better personalized treatment plans.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in using ctDNA and imaging biomarkers for monitoring cancer treatment responses, suggesting that this approach could yield valuable insights.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Washington
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Specht, Jennifer Marie — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Specht, Jennifer Marie
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.