Immune checkpoint washout for axillary lymph node staging in invasive ductal breast cancer

Detection of Lymph Node Positivity in Patients With Invasive Ductal Breast Cancer Using Immun Checkpoint Washout

Not applicable Interventional Istanbul Training and Research Hospital · NCT07003009

This test sees if washing axillary lymph nodes for immune checkpoint markers can help find cancer spread in people with invasive ductal breast cancer who are scheduled for neoadjuvant therapy.

Quick facts

PhaseNot applicable
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment30 (estimated)
Ages18 Years and up
SexFemale
SponsorIstanbul Training and Research Hospital Government
Drugs / interventionsipilimumab, nivolumab
Locations1 site (Istanbul)
Trial IDNCT07003009 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

Patients with histopathologically confirmed invasive ductal carcinoma who are planned for neoadjuvant therapy will have washout fluid collected from axillary lymph nodes characterized as benign or suspicious on ultrasound. Washout specimens will be analyzed for immune checkpoint markers and compared with results from fine-needle aspiration or core biopsy and final pathology. The aim is to determine whether immune checkpoint washout could serve as a faster, lower-cost adjunct to ultrasound and biopsy for lymph node staging. Standard exclusions include negative FNAB of a suspected metastatic node, malignant FNAB of a presumed healthy node, pregnancy, immunodeficiency, or another primary malignancy.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Adults with confirmed invasive ductal carcinoma who are scheduled to receive neoadjuvant therapy and are undergoing axillary lymph node evaluation are ideal candidates.

Not a fit: Patients with discordant FNAB results as specified in the exclusions, pregnant people, those with immunodeficiency, or those with another primary cancer would be excluded and unlikely to benefit.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this method could provide a faster and less costly way to detect axillary metastases and help guide preoperative treatment decisions.

How similar studies have performed: Washout testing is well established in thyroid cancer, but applying immune checkpoint washout to breast axillary node staging is largely novel with limited supporting data.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Histopathologically proven invasive ductal carcinoma
* Patients who will have neoadjuvant therapy

Exclusion Criteria:

* The fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) result of the suspected metastatic lymph node is negative.
* The FNAB result of the presumed healthy lymph node is malignant.
* They refuse to participate in the study.
* They have another primary malignancy.
* They are pregnant.
* They have a history of immunodeficiency.

Where this trial is running

Istanbul

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.
Conditions Breast Cancer MetastaticBreast CarcinomaImmune checkpointsBreast CancerLymph nodeWashout
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 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.