Comparing tumor markers in breast cancer patients before and after chemotherapy
Official title: Effect of Neoadjuvant or Adjuvant Systemic Therapy on Breast Cancers, Bone Marrow Cancer Cells, and Circulating Cancer Cells
Run by Washington University School of Medicine · NCT00353483 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is trying to see if certain tumor markers in breast cancer patients can help predict how well they respond to chemotherapy and if they might have a higher chance of the cancer coming back.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 300 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Washington University School of Medicine Academic / other |
| Drugs / interventions | chemotherapy |
| Locations | 1 site (St Louis, Missouri) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | September 14, 2005 |
| Main results expected | August 31, 2027 |
| Study ends | August 31, 2027 |
| Registry record updated | November 3, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT00353483 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates include adults diagnosed with clinical stage II, III, or IV breast cancer who are planning to undergo neoadjuvant or adjuvant systemic therapy.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients who have not been diagnosed with breast cancer or those with early-stage disease may not benefit from this study.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This observational study aims to analyze genetic markers on tumor cells in breast cancer patients before and after they undergo systemic therapy. The researchers hypothesize that certain disseminated tumor cells (DTC) that persist after treatment may indicate a poor response to therapy and correlate with worse clinical outcomes. The study will involve characterizing these tumor markers, comparing their expression pre- and post-therapy, and correlating them with patient outcomes to identify predictive markers for disease recurrence. Additionally, purified DTC will be isolated for further molecular analysis.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this study could lead to improved identification of breast cancer patients at high risk for disease recurrence, allowing for more tailored treatment approaches.
How similar studies have gone: Other studies have explored the role of circulating tumor cells in breast cancer, showing promise in identifying treatment resistance, but this specific approach is novel.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Recently diagnosed with clinical stage II, III, or IV breast cancer * Planning to undergo neoadjuvant or adjuvant systemic therapy; patients who have already completed neoadjuvant systemic therapy are also eligible * Must be \>= 18 years of age * If female, must not be pregnant * Must not have Hepatitis B, C, or HIV * Must be willing and able to sign informed consent document
Where it's running
-
Washington University School of Medicine
St Louis, Missouri, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Rebecca Aft, M.D., Ph.D. — Washington University School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Rebecca Aft, MD, PhD
- Email: aftr@wustl.edu
- Phone: 314-747-0063
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
Improved Facial Skin Quality After VYC-12L for Breast Cancer Survivors
This study tests whether intradermal injections of VYC-12L can improve facial skin quality and quality of life in adults who have completed breast cancer treatment.
-
Breast cancer subtypes and outcomes in Colombian women
This study looks back at medical records of women with breast cancer to see how different molecular subtypes relate to survival and recurrence in a single Colombian hospital.
-
Multimodal psychosomatic symptom care for breast cancer: personalized acupuncture care guided by shared decision-making
This study tests whether personalized acupuncture options (manual acupuncture, ear acupuncture, or both) can help women with breast cancer who have anxiety, sleep problems, or fatigue, compared to routine nursing care.
-
Slow Jogging for Breast Cancer Survivors
This study tests whether a 12-week slow jogging program helps sleep quality in women who have completed breast cancer treatment.
-
Methylscape test in body fluids for multi-cancer detection in Colombia
A simple blood, urine, or saliva test called Methylscape is being tested to see if it can detect multiple cancers and identify where the signal is coming from, using people with cancer and healthy volunteers in Colombia.
-
Benchmarking AI language models against tumor boards for oncology treatment decisions
This project tests whether frontier AI language models can match the treatment recommendations of multidisciplinary tumor boards for common cancers using standardized synthetic cases.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.