Timing chemotherapy to help breast cancer that has spread to the brain
Circadian Rhythms in Blood Brain Barrier Permeability and Increased Efficacy of Chemotherapy for Brain Metastases
This project will see if giving common breast cancer chemotherapy at certain times of day helps the medicines get into brain tumors better for people with breast cancer that has spread to the brain.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | West Virginia University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Morgantown, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11296911 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This work looks at whether the body's daily (circadian) rhythms change how well chemotherapy crosses the blood–brain barrier into brain metastases. Researchers will give commonly used drugs (doxorubicin and paclitaxel) labeled so their distribution can be imaged, and compare drug levels at different times of day. The team will also study drug-efflux transporters (like ABCG2) that may drive the timing effects. If timing matters, the results could point to simple schedule changes to improve treatment reach into brain tumors.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with breast cancer that has spread to the brain and who are receiving or planning to receive systemic chemotherapy would be the most relevant candidates for applying these findings.
Not a fit: Patients without brain metastases or those treated only with non‑chemotherapy approaches (like some targeted therapies or local radiation) are less likely to benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, timing chemotherapy by the body's clock could increase drug delivery to brain metastases and improve treatment effect while possibly reducing side effects.
How similar studies have performed: Prior animal and some clinical chrono‑chemotherapy work shows timing can change drug levels and side effects, but applying timing specifically to chemotherapy delivery into brain metastases is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Morgantown, United States
- West Virginia University — Morgantown, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Walker, William Harry — West Virginia University
- Study coordinator: Walker, William Harry
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 below.