Clinical trial No longer in our active list Observational Ages 18 to 70 Women only

Gut microbiome's role in predicting treatment response for HER2-positive breast cancer

Official title: Gut Microbiome Components Predict Response to Neoadjuvant Therapy in HER2-positive Breast Cancer Patients : A Prospective Study

Run by The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University · NCT05444647 · Data updated 2026-05-14

This study is no longer in our active list. It may have stopped recruiting or finished. The details below are as of 2026-05-14 and are kept for reference. Check ClinicalTrials.gov for its current status, or see similar studies below.

This study is trying to see if changes in the gut bacteria of women with HER2-positive breast cancer can help predict how well they respond to their treatment.

More Breast Cancer trials

Quick facts

Study typeObservational
Ages18 Years to 70 Years
SexWomen only
Enrollment100 (estimated)
SponsorThe First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University
Academic / other
Drugs / interventionschemotherapy, trastuzumab
Locations1 site (Nanjing, Jiangsu)
Trial IDNCT05444647 on ClinicalTrials.gov

Is this trial a fit for you?

Likely a good fit

Ideal candidates are females aged 18 to 70 with newly diagnosed operable HER2-positive breast cancer who have not received prior treatment.

Probably not a fit

Patients with a history of prior breast surgery or treatment for invasive malignancy 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 investigates the characteristics and changes in the gut microbiome of patients with HER2-positive breast cancer undergoing neoadjuvant therapy. It aims to correlate gut microbiome composition with the likelihood of achieving a pathologic complete response (pCR) after treatment. By enrolling 100 participants, the study will collect stool and blood samples at various treatment stages to assess the relationship between microbiome alterations and treatment outcomes. The goal is to identify predictive factors that could enhance treatment efficacy and minimize side effects.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this study could lead to improved personalized treatment strategies for HER2-positive breast cancer patients.

How similar studies have gone: While the role of the gut microbiome in cancer treatment is an emerging field, this specific approach is relatively novel and has not been extensively tested in similar studies.

Who can join: the full rules

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

1. Female, presenting for the first time with operable breast cancer, who had not received any previous treatment for an invasive malignancy.
2. Primary tumor greater than (\>) 2 cm in diameter.
3. Age ≥ 18 years and \< 70 years.
4. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status less than or equal to (\</=) 1.
5. Baseline left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) greater than or equal to (\>/=) 55%
6. Availability of tumor tissue specimen after surgery.
7. Histologically proven diagnosis of breast cancer.
8. Patients have HER2-positive disease. HER2-positive disease was defined as follows: disease which overexpresses HER-2 by immunohistochemistry (IHC) 3+ and/or has HER2 amplification according to fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).
9. Had hormonal receptors (ER and PgR) assessed.
10. Signed informed consent.
11. Able to comply with the protocol.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. prior ipsilateral breast surgery, ipsilateral radiotherapy, hormonal therapy or systemic chemotherapy
2. Prolonged antibiotic treatment \> 10 days within 1 month of neoadjuvant chemotherapy as prevention or suppression of an ongoing infection
3. Uncontrolled inflammatory bowel disease
4. pregnant

Where it's running

  • Jiangsu Provincial People's Hospital
    Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
    Recruiting

Study contacts

Similar studies

Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.

How to take part

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 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.