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Using carvedilol to prevent heart problems in patients with advanced HER-2-positive breast cancer

Prospective Observational Cohort Study of Patients With Metastatic HER-2+ Breast Cancer at Risk of Cardiac Toxicity

Phase 3 Interventional SWOG Cancer Research Network · NCT03418961

This study is testing if the heart medication carvedilol can help prevent heart problems in patients with advanced HER-2-positive breast cancer who are being treated with trastuzumab.

Quick facts

PhasePhase 3
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment491 (estimated)
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorSWOG Cancer Research Network Research network
Drugs / interventionstrastuzumab, pertuzumab, lapatinib, tucatinib, chemotherapy
Locations590 sites (Anchorage, Alaska and 589 other locations)
Trial IDNCT03418961 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This phase III trial investigates the effectiveness of carvedilol, a beta-blocker, in preventing cardiac toxicity in patients with metastatic HER-2-positive breast cancer undergoing trastuzumab-based therapy. The study aims to compare the incidence of cardiac dysfunction and related events between patients receiving carvedilol and those receiving no intervention. Additionally, it will evaluate the impact of carvedilol on the duration of trastuzumab therapy and collect cardiovascular data to develop predictive models for cardiac dysfunction. The trial includes observational components to assess cardiac outcomes in patients not receiving beta-blockers.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are patients with metastatic HER-2-positive breast cancer who are starting or continuing trastuzumab-based therapy and are at increased risk for cardiotoxicity.

Not a fit: Patients who are not at increased risk for cardiac issues or those receiving concurrent anthracycline therapy will not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this study could significantly reduce the risk of heart-related complications in patients receiving treatment for advanced breast cancer.

How similar studies have performed: Other studies have shown promise in using beta-blockers to mitigate cardiac toxicity in cancer patients, suggesting this approach may be effective.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria 
Inclusion Criteria:

* STEP 1 REGISTRATION

Patients must:

1. Have metastatic breast cancer, AND
2. Be initiating within 11 calendar days of Step 1 Registration OR be continuing trastuzumab-based HER-2 targeted therapy without concurrent anthracyclines, AND
3. Be receiving the trastuzumab-based HER-2 targeted therapy for metastatic disease in first, second, third-, or fourth-line setting. Patients may have brain metastasis. There is no limit for number of doses of HER-2 targeted therapy prior to registration.

Examples of eligible HER-2 targeted therapy:

* Trastuzumab or a trastuzumab biosimilar
* Trastuzumab + chemotherapy or hormonal therapy
* Trastuzumab + other HER-2 targeted agent with or without chemotherapy (such as pertuzumab, lapatinib, and tucatinib)
* Ado-trastuzumab (Kadcyla®)
* Fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan (Enhertu) NOTE: Patients on lapatinib without trastuzumab are not eligible. Planned treatment with concurrent HER-2 targeted therapy and anthracyclines is not permitted.

  * Patients must be at increased risk for cardiotoxicity defined by at least one of the following:

    1. Previous anthracycline exposure OR
    2. 1 or more of the following risk factors for heart disease:

       * LVEF 50-54% by local ECHO read\*
       * Age ≥ 65
       * BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2
       * Current or prior anti-hypertensive therapy
       * Diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD)
       * Diagnosis of diabetes mellitus
       * Diagnosis of atrial fibrillation/flutter Note: ECHO can be performed at any time prior to registration with the most recent being sent.
  * Patients must not have taken within 21 days prior to Step 1 Registration, be currently taking at the time of Step 1 Registration or planning to take once registered to Step 1 a beta blocker, ARB, or ACE inhibitor, in order to be randomized (Arms 1 and 2).

Patients enrolling in the observational cohort (Arm 3) must be currently taking a beta blocker, ARB, or ACE inhibitor at the time of Step 1 Registration.

* Patients must have a Zubrod Performance status of 0-2
* Patients must have a complete physical examination and medical history within 28 days prior to registration
* Patients must have LVEF \>= 50% echocardiogram (2D or 3D) within 28 days prior to registration. The echocardiogram must be obtained from a S1501 validated ECHO laboratory (lab) and submitted for central review by the S1501 ECHO core lab.

If a 3D echocardiogram is performed at baseline, sites must ensure that standard 2D images, including 40chamber and 2-chamber views, are also obtained and submitted at subsequent timepoints.

All follow-up echocardiograms (every 12 weeks) must be performed using 2D imaging to allow for standardized assessments. Follow-up scans must be completed at a site that can provide 2D images per protocol requirements. The echocardiograms cannot be submitted for central read until after Step 1 registration is complete.

* Patients must have adequate hepatic function as evidenced by all of the following within 28 days prior to registration:

  * Serum bilirubin \< 3.0 x institutional upper limit of normal (IULN)
  * Serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT)/aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT)/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) \< 5.0 x IULN
* Patients must not be dialysis dependent
* No other prior malignancy is allowed except for the following: adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, in situ cervical cancer, prostate cancer on active surveillance, adequately treated stage I or II cancer from which the patient is currently in complete remission, or any other cancer from which the patient has been disease free for five years
* Patients must not be pregnant or nursing due to potential fetal or nursing infant harm; women/men of reproductive potential must have agreed to use an effective contraceptive method, a woman is considered to be of "reproductive potential" if she has had menses at any time in the preceding 12 consecutive months; in addition to routine contraceptive methods, "effective contraception" also includes heterosexual celibacy and surgery intended to prevent pregnancy (or with a side-effect of pregnancy prevention) defined as a hysterectomy, bilateral oophorectomy or bilateral tubal ligation; however, if at any point a previously celibate patient chooses to become heterosexually active during the time period for use of contraceptive measures outlined in the protocol, he/she is responsible for beginning contraceptive measures
* Patients must be willing to submit blood specimens
* Sites must seek additional patient consent for the future use of specimens
* Patients must be informed of the investigational nature of this study and must sign and give written informed consent in accordance with institutional and federal guidelines
* For participants with impaired decision-making capabilities, legally authorized representatives may sign and give informed consent on behalf of study participants in accordance with applicable federal, local, and CIRB regulations.
* As a part of the OPEN registration process the treating institution's identity is provided in order to ensure that the current (within 365 days) date of institutional review board approval for this study has been entered in the system
* STEP 2 REGISTRATION (Randomization)
* Patients must not be registered to step 2 until confirming via RAVE EDC that the patient's LVEF by echocardiogram was \>= 50% by central review. Patients must be registered within 21 calendar days of submission of the ECHO study/
* Site must verify that there is no known change in the step 1 eligibility since initial registration

Where this trial is running

Anchorage, Alaska and 589 other locations

+540 more sites — see ClinicalTrials.gov for the full list.

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 → Find more trials like this →
Conditions CardiotoxicityHER2/Neu PositiveMetastatic Malignant Neoplasm in the BrainRecurrent Breast CarcinomaStage IV Breast Cancer AJCC v6 and v7
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.