A Study to Correlate Ultrasound Elastography With Histopathology to Monitor the Response of Locally Advanced Breast Cancer to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

NCT ID: NCT01737970

Last Updated: 2017-10-12

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Total Enrollment

10 participants

Study Classification

OBSERVATIONAL

Study Start Date

2012-02-29

Study Completion Date

2014-07-31

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

This research proposal concerns a study to monitor the effects of chemotherapy on breast cancer tumour and peritumour stromal cells using ultrasound (US) elastography (also known as strain imaging).

Many cancer treatments currently being developed are targeted; that is they exploit particular biological processes in specific cancer cell types to disrupt tumour growth. Being able to monitor the efficacy of these typically high-cost drug therapies is essential both for the best patient outcome as well as offering economical benefits to the health care system and much needed insight into future drug development.

Ultrasound provides a relatively inexpensive, non-invasive means for imaging cancers, and has been used widely in breast cancer diagnosis for many years. Its role in therapy monitoring has been suggested but has not been well explored. The purpose of this proposal is to explore this potential in more depth.

It has been identified that significant interaction takes place between tumour and stroma through all stages of tumour growth; this complex relationship is an ongoing topic of research. Fibrotic changes occur during tumour growth and are also a quintessential process of healing. Indeed, fibrosis is a common after effect to chemotherapy in many forms of cancer. Elastography is an established imaging technique (based on ultrasound or MRI) which can estimate the relative stiffness of tissues in vivo and is thus well-suited to monitor these particular biological processes.

This elucidates the main hypothesis of this project: fibrosis, cancer cell necrosis and inflammation may all contribute to a measurable response in elastography. These changes to the tissue composition can be imaged over a course of a patient's treatment to assess the response to chemo/hormonal therapy.

The ultimate project goals are to develop a clinical tool (based on ultrasound elastography) to improve treatment management in addition to offering a better biological understanding of tumour/stroma behaviour.

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

This research proposal concerns a study to monitor the effects of chemotherapy on breast cancer tumour and peritumour stromal cells using ultrasound (US) elastography (also known as strain imaging).

Many cancer treatments currently being developed are targeted; that is they exploit particular biological processes in specific cancer cell types to disrupt tumour growth. Being able to monitor the efficacy of these typically high-cost drug therapies is essential both for the best patient outcome as well as offering economical benefits to the health care system and much needed insight into future drug development.

Ultrasound provides a relatively inexpensive, non-invasive means for imaging cancers, and has been used widely in breast cancer diagnosis for many years. Its role in therapy monitoring has been suggested but has not been well explored. The purpose of this proposal is to explore this potential in more depth.

It has been identified that significant interaction takes place between tumour and stroma through all stages of tumour growth; this complex relationship is an ongoing topic of research. Fibrotic changes occur during tumour growth and are also a quintessential process of healing. Indeed, fibrosis is a common after effect to chemotherapy in many forms of cancer. Elastography is an established imaging technique (based on ultrasound or MRI) which can estimate the relative stiffness of tissues in vivo and is thus well-suited to monitor these particular biological processes.

This elucidates the main hypothesis of this project: fibrosis, cancer cell necrosis and inflammation may all contribute to a measurable response in elastography. These changes to the tissue composition can be imaged over a course of a patient's treatment to assess the response to chemo/hormonal therapy.

The ultimate project goals are to develop a clinical tool (based on ultrasound elastography) to improve treatment management in addition to offering a better biological understanding of tumour/stroma behaviour.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Breast Cancer Neoadjuvant Therapy

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Observational Model Type

CASE_ONLY

Study Time Perspective

RETROSPECTIVE

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* Participant is willing and able to give informed consent for participation in the study.
* Has an established diagnosis of locally advanced breast cancer.
* Aged 18 years or above.
* History of previous breast cancer does not exclude from study.
* Having neoadjuvant chemotherapy delivered in Oxford Cancer Centre.
* Good general health
* Blood tests to check suitability for the diagnostic core biopsy
* Having a localisation coil as part of routine medical care.
* Patients who are recruited into other studies can be included if there is no conflict of interest and the patient is in agreement.

Exclusion Criteria

* Any co-morbidity that is likely to prevent regular attendance.
* Is \<18 years of age or over 70 years.
* Has a movement disorder as the patient is required to lie very still for a few minutes during the scan.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

70 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

University of Oxford

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Learn about the lead researchers overseeing the trial and their institutional affiliations.

Ruth English, M.D.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Oxford University NHS Trust

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

12/SC/0170

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id