Chemotherapy-induced Cognitive and Brain Changes in Older Adults With Breast Cancer

NCT ID: NCT02290834

Last Updated: 2025-12-09

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

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

200 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2015-03-31

Study Completion Date

2027-01-31

Brief Summary

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This research study evaluates the effect of chemotherapy on cognition (thinking) and the brain in people with breast cancer.

Detailed Description

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* This study is being done to study effects of chemotherapy (cancer treatment) on the brain and cognition (thinking). "Chemo-brain" is a term sometimes used to refer to effects of chemotherapy on the brain and cognition (thinking).
* This study is being done to test for "chemo-brain" in older adults with breast cancer treated with chemotherapy, and to identify people who are most likely to be affected. The investigators will look at thinking abilities and brain images before and after chemotherapy to see if it can help identify people at risk for cognitive side effects of the treatment, and to better understand effects of treatment on brain structure and function.
* The investigators are looking for participants who have either been recently recently diagnosed breast cancer participant or a healthy volunteer.
* What is involved in the study:

* Memory and Thinking Tests
* Imaging: Either MRI/or MRI and PET Scans

Conditions

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Impaired Cognition Chemo-brain Breast Cancer

Study Design

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Allocation Method

NON_RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Primary Study Purpose

DIAGNOSTIC

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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ARM 1

Breast cancer patients treated with chemotherapy

* Cognitive, functional and subjective assessments (Pre and Post Treatment)
* Imaging (Pre and Post Treatment)

* Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scan
* Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scan / Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scan

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Cognitive, functional and subjective assessments

Intervention Type OTHER

Cognitive and functional assessments

MRI

Intervention Type DEVICE

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scan

PET Scan

Intervention Type RADIATION

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scan

ARM 2

Non-treated breast cancer patient control

* Cognitive, functional and subjective assessments (Post enrollment and 6-14 months later
* Imaging (Post Enrollment and at 8-14 months later)

* Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scan
* Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scan / Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scan

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Cognitive, functional and subjective assessments

Intervention Type OTHER

Cognitive and functional assessments

MRI

Intervention Type DEVICE

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scan

PET Scan

Intervention Type RADIATION

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scan

ARM 3

Healthy control subjects

* Cognitive, functional and subjective assessments (Post enrollment and 6-14 months later
* Imaging (Post Enrollment and at 8-14 months later)

* Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scan
* Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scan / Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scan

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Cognitive, functional and subjective assessments

Intervention Type OTHER

Cognitive and functional assessments

MRI

Intervention Type DEVICE

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scan

PET Scan

Intervention Type RADIATION

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scan

Interventions

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Cognitive, functional and subjective assessments

Cognitive and functional assessments

Intervention Type OTHER

MRI

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scan

Intervention Type DEVICE

PET Scan

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scan

Intervention Type RADIATION

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Breast cancer patients treated with chemotherapy- Group 1 (experimental group)

* Participants must meet the following criteria on screening examination to be eligible to participate in the behavioral +/- imaging components of study
* New diagnosis histologically confirmed invasive breast cancer
* Treatment plan to include chemotherapy
* Female subjects age ≥ 60 years.
* Life expectancy ≥ 1 year
* Karnofsky Performance Score (KPS) ≥ 80
* Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document.
* Non-treated breast cancer patient controls- Group 2 (control group)

* Participants must meet the following criteria on screening examination to be eligible to participate in the behavioral +/- imaging components of study:
* New diagnosis histologically confirmed invasive breast cancer
* Treatment plan does not include chemotherapy
* Age ≥ 60 years.
* Life expectancy ≥ 1 year
* Karnofsky Performance Score (KPS) ≥ 80
* Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document.
* Healthy control subjects- Group 3 (control group)

* Participants must meet the following criteria on screening examination to be eligible to participate in the behavioral +/- imaging components of study:
* Age ≥ 60 years.
* Life expectancy ≥ 1 year
* Karnofsky Performance Score (KPS) ≥ 80
* Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document.
* Participants with well-controlled vascular risk factors, such as treated hypertension, treated hyperlipidemia or well-controlled Type II diabetes (glucose levels \<250) may be included.
* Serum Pregnancy Testing: STAT quantitative serum hCG pregnancy testing for all women of childbearing potential. Imaging will not start until and unless the test result returns negative.

Exclusion Criteria

* Participants who exhibit any of the following conditions at screening will not be eligible for admission into the study:

* Participants with clinical or radiographic evidence of metastatic CNS disease
* Subjects with MMSE scores below 24
* Active or history of major psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, major affective disorder in mid-life, or treatment with ECT (Mild depression that is well treated with stable dose of SSRI antidepressants may be allowed).
* Substance abuse within the past 2 years
* Huntington's disease, hydrocephalus or seizure disorder

* Participants with contraindications to MRI (i.e., implanted metal including pacemakers, cerebral spinal fluid shunts, aneurysm clips, artificial heart valves, ear implants or metal/foreign objects in the eyes and those with a history of claustrophobia), injuries to the eyes with metal without X-ray documentation that metal was removed
Minimum Eligible Age

60 Years

Eligible Sex

FEMALE

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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Massachusetts General Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Michael W Parsons

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Michael Parsons, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Massachusetts General Hospital

Locations

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Massachusetts General Hospital

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Massachusetts General Hospital/North Shore Cancer Center

Salem, Massachusetts, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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United States

Central Contacts

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Michael W Parsons, PhD

Role: CONTACT

617-643-0282

Facility Contacts

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Michael Parsons, PhD

Role: primary

617-643-0282

Therese Mulvey, MD

Role: primary

(678) 882-6060

Other Identifiers

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14-217

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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