New Wearable Imaging to See How Breast Cancer Responds to Chemotherapy

3D wearable NIR spectral tomography for early prediction of breast cancer’s residual cancer burden after neoadjuvant chemotherapy

NIH-funded research Dartmouth College · NIH-11136328

This project is developing a new wearable imaging device to help doctors see very early if breast cancer treatment is working for patients receiving chemotherapy before surgery.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionDartmouth College NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Hanover, United States)
Project IDNIH-11136328 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

We are creating a special wearable device that uses near-infrared light to look inside breast tissue. This device can detect subtle changes in the breast tumor very early in treatment, even before the tumor size visibly shrinks. By seeing these changes quickly, doctors might be able to tell if your chemotherapy is effective. This non-invasive, low-cost imaging method could offer a new way to monitor treatment progress for breast cancer patients.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: This research is relevant for breast cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy before surgery.

Not a fit: Patients not receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer would not directly benefit from this specific imaging approach.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this new imaging method could help doctors adjust breast cancer treatment sooner, potentially leading to better long-term outcomes for patients.

How similar studies have performed: The researchers have previously developed a similar system and gathered clinical data from women, showing its potential to detect tumor response.

Where this research is happening

Hanover, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-10 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.