Prognostic staging for recurrent breast cancer to guide care
Official title: Post-Recurrence Survival in Patients with Recurrent Breast Cancer: Identifying Key Predictors and Standardizing Assessments
Funded at Duke University · NIH-11366240 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A Duke University-led project aims to create a prognostic classification system for women whose breast cancer has come back, so clinicians can discuss outcomes and plan treatment more clearly.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $616,652 |
| NIH project number | 1R01CA303112-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11366240 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with recurrent breast cancer who are seeking prognosis-guided treatment discussions.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with early-stage breast cancer who have not experienced recurrence, or RBC patients whose care is not influenced by prognostic staging.
What this research studies
This project focuses on patients with recurrent breast cancer and aims to build a new prognostic staging system similar to the initial breast cancer stages. It will use factors like tumor size, nodal status, metastasis, tumor grade, biomarker status, and genomic assays to categorize prognosis. The team plans to work with a Community Advisory Board and multiple institutions to ensure the system reflects real patient experiences. The result should help doctors explain prognosis and tailor treatment decisions for RBC patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients and clinicians will have a clearer prognosis framework to guide treatment choices and conversations.
How similar studies have gone: There is no existing prognostic staging system specifically for recurrent breast cancer; the project builds on established prognostic factors used in primary breast cancer.
Where this research is happening
-
Duke University
Durham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Plichta, Jennifer Kay — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Plichta, Jennifer Kay
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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.