Imaging breast cancer with a special tracer to predict treatment response

PET Imaging With 89Zr-Trastuzumab for Prediction of HER2 Targeted Therapy Effectiveness

EARLY_PHASE1 · University of Alabama at Birmingham · NCT03321045

This study is testing a special imaging agent to see if it can help identify breast cancer patients who will respond well to HER2-targeted treatments.

Quick facts

PhaseEARLY_PHASE1
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment10 (estimated)
Ages18 Years and up
SexFemale
SponsorUniversity of Alabama at Birmingham (other)
Drugs / interventionsradiation, trastuzumab
Locations1 site (Birmingham, Alabama)
Trial IDNCT03321045 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This study investigates the use of 89Zr-trastuzumab as a PET imaging agent to identify breast cancer patients who are likely to respond to HER2-targeted therapies. It aims to demonstrate the feasibility of using PET/MRI imaging with this agent and to evaluate the correlation between tumor uptake of 89Zr-trastuzumab and HER2 positivity, as well as the response to HER2 therapy. The study will involve patients diagnosed with HER2 positive breast cancer who are eligible for treatment with anti-HER2 agents.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults aged 18 and older with HER2 positive breast cancer who are eligible for anti-HER2 therapy.

Not a fit: Patients who are pregnant, unable to provide informed consent, or have contraindications for MRI may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could help tailor HER2-targeted therapies to patients who are most likely to benefit, improving treatment outcomes.

How similar studies have performed: Other studies have shown promise in using imaging agents for predicting treatment response, but this specific approach with 89Zr-trastuzumab is novel.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Be at least 18 years of age.
* Diagnosis of HER2 positive breast cancer as defined by to American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)/College of American Pathologists (CAP) 2018 guidelines: Immunohistochemistry (IHC) 3+ OR Single prove In situ hybridization (ISH) with average HER2 copy number \>= 6 OR dual probe ISH with both average HER2 copy number \>= 4 AND HER2 to CEP17 ratio \>=2
* Patients eligible for radiation therapy or systemic therapy using a regimen containing at least one anti-HER2 agent
* Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0 and 1
* Ejection fraction greater than 50% by echocardiogram or multiple-gated acquisition (MUGA) scans

Exclusion Criteria:

* Inability to provide informed consent
* Pregnancy
* Inability to lie still for the imaging study
* Weight over 350 lbs., due to the scanner bore size
* Contraindication for MRI study (e.g. non-removable metal implants or certain tattoos)

Where this trial is running

Birmingham, Alabama

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.

View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Conditions: Breast Cancer, 89Zr-Trastuzumab, HER2 Imaging

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 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.