Clinical Research Directory

Standard Verbal Counseling With or Without a Pictorial Educational Tool for the Reduction of Psychological Morbidity in Patients With Stage 0-IIIA Breast Cancer Receiving Radiation Therapy, COPE Study

This clinical trial studies the effect of standard verbal counseling with or without a pictorial educational tool for the reduction of psychological morbidity in patients with stage 0-IIIA breast cancer receiving radiation therapy. Beginning radiation therapy for breast cancer can be stressful. Education about what to expect often reduces the stress, anxiety, and depression experienced by these patients. This study is being done to see how effective photos are in reducing stress, anxiety, and depression associated with radiation therapy for patients with breast cancer.

CompassHER2-pCR: Decreasing Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer Patients After Pre-surgery Chemo and Targeted Therapy

This trial studies how well paclitaxel, trastuzumab, and pertuzumab work in eliminating further chemotherapy after surgery in patients with HER2-positive stage II-IIIa breast cancer who have no cancer remaining at surgery (either in the breast or underarm lymph nodes) after pre-operative chemotherapy and HER2-targeted therapy. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as paclitaxel, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Trastuzumab and pertuzumab are both a form of "targeted therapy" because they work by attaching themselves to specific molecules (receptors) on the surface of tumor cells, known as HER2 receptors. When these drugs attach to HER2 receptors, the signals that tell the cells to grow are blocked and the tumor cell may be marked for destruction by the body's immune system. Giving paclitaxel, trastuzumab, and pertuzumab may enable fewer chemotherapy drugs to be given without compromising patient outcomes compared to the usual treatment.

Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy or 3-Dimensional Conformal Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Lymph-Node Positive Breast Cancer

This phase II trial studies the shoulder morbidity in patients with lymph-node positive breast cancer receiving intensity modulated radiation therapy or 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy. Intensity modulated radiation therapy may cause less shoulder/arm morbidity in patients with lymph-node positive breast cancer.

Taxane and Taxane-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy in African American Patients With Stage I-III Breast Cancer

This phase II trial studies whether a prior germline predictor of taxane-induced peripheral neuropathy (TIPN) can help identify a subgroup of patients who are at higher risk of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy in African American patients with stages I-III breast cancer. The study also investigates whether docetaxel maybe work better than paclitaxel with regard to TIPN rate/severity and dose reductions.

Topical or Oral Minoxidil for the Treatment of Endocrine Therapy-Induced Alopecia in Patients With Stage I-IV Breast Cancer

This early phase I trial studies the possible benefits and/or side effects of topical or oral minoxidil in treating endocrine therapy-induced hair loss (alopecia) in patients with stage I-IV breast cancer. Endocrine therapy-induced alopecia (EIA) is a distressing side effect that leads to reduced quality of life and early cessation of therapy in women undergoing treatment for breast cancer. Patients on endocrine therapy commonly report hair loss or thinning. Minoxidil is a drug that may promote hair growth and reduce hair loss. Oral minoxidil may increase hair density in women with EIA, and work the same as topical minoxidil in treating EIA in patients with breast cancer.

Genetic Testing in Predicting Tumor Response in Patients With Stage I-III HER2 Negative Invasive Breast Cancer

This phase II trial studies how well genetic testing works in predicting tumor response in patients with stage I-III HER2 negative invasive breast cancer. Genetic testing is a procedure that tests tumor samples to learn if certain genes are activated (turned on) in the tumor and if the activation of these genes may predict if the tumor will be sensitive or resistant to routine breast cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy or hormonal therapy.

Exercise During Chemotherapy in Older Women With Stage I-III Breast Cancer

This clinical trial evaluates the feasibility of exercise during chemotherapy in older women with stage I-III breast cancer. Previous studies have reported that exercise may reduce the chemotherapy-toxicity risk. This trial may help researchers learn if engaging in a physical activity program is feasible in patients receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer.

Web-Based Symptom Monitoring and Self-Management Portal (YES) for Adolescent and Young Adult Breast Cancer Survivors

This clinical trial compares a web-based patient-reported symptom monitoring and self management portal, the Young, Empowered \& Strong (YES), to standard therapy in managing symptoms in adolescent and young adult breast cancer survivors. YES is a web-based portal (website) to help monitor issues or symptoms women with breast cancer may experience. The YES portal may improve the quality of life of young breast cancer survivors. The YES portal may help manage symptoms and provide useful information/resources.

Personalized Vaccine Immunotherapy in Combination With Checkpoint Inhibitor for Treatment of Triple Negative Breast Cancer

This phase I trial tests the safety, side effects, and best dose of a personalized vaccine (tumor membrane vesicle or TMV vaccine) by itself and in combination with checkpoint inhibitor (pembrolizumab or ipilimumab) in treating patients with triple negative breast cancer. This vaccine is made by taking a piece of patient's triple negative breast cancer to design a vaccine to stimulate the immune system's memory. Patients are treated with the personalized vaccine immunotherapy with or without monoclonal antibodies, such as pembrolizumab and ipilimumab. This approach may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Giving personalized TMV vaccine with pembrolizumab or ipilimumab may help the immune system attack cancer better and reduce the risk of this breast cancer coming back or growing.

Radiation Therapy Boost Before Surgery for the Treatment of Non-metastatic Breast Cancer

This phase II trial investigates the safety of delivering a part (boost) of radiation treatment before breast surgery in treating patients with breast cancer that has not spread to other places in the body (non-metastatic). Radiation therapy uses high energy photons/electrons to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors. Delivering a boost radiation treatment before surgery when doctors can still visualize the tumor on imaging may help to better target the tumor and decrease the volume of normal irradiated tissue. By so doing, doctors may achieve better cosmetic outcomes and possibly better tumor control.

Culturally Based Brief Expressive Writing Intervention for the Improvement of Health in Chinese Immigrant Stage 0-III Breast Cancer Survivors, Writing to Heal Study

This clinical trial studies the effect of a culturally based brief expressive writing intervention in improving the health of Chinese immigrant stage 0-III breast cancer survivors. Culturally based brief expressive writing interventions may help researchers learn more about the experiences of Chinese immigrant breast cancer survivors and how writing about their experiences may affect their health.

Prospective Pilot Study of Robot-assisted Nipple Sparing Mastectomy (RNSM)

This is a pilot study to determine safety, efficacy, and potential risks of robot assisted nipple sparing mastectomy (RNSM), by utilizing the daVinci surgical system.

Social Health, Activity Behaviors, and Quality of Life Among Young Adult Cancer Survivors

This study assesses how personal relationships (such as friendships, family relationships, or romantic partners) influence the physical activity (exercise) and well-being of young adult cancer survivors. Researchers also hope to learn how social relationships change after a cancer diagnosis, and how these changes might impact important health behaviors. The information provided may help researchers learn more about better ways to support young cancer patients in the future through interventions that help maintain good social relationships and health levels of physical activity.

Decision Making Tool in Supporting Decision Making in Contralateral Prophylactic Mastectomy in Patients With Newly Diagnosed Breast Cancer

This trial studies the acceptability and how well decision making tool works in supporting decision making in contralateral prophylactic mastectomy in patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer. Decision making tool may help patients with early stage breast cancer make decisions regarding their surgical options.

T-DM1 and Tucatinib Compared With T-DM1 Alone in Preventing Relapses in People With High Risk HER2-Positive Breast Cancer, the CompassHER2 RD Trial

This phase III trial studies how well trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) and tucatinib work in preventing breast cancer from coming back (relapsing) in patients with high risk, HER2 positive breast cancer. T-DM1 is a monoclonal antibody, called trastuzumab, linked to a chemotherapy drug, called DM1. Trastuzumab is a form of targeted therapy because it attaches to specific molecules (receptors) on the surface of cancer cells, known as HER2 receptors, and delivers DM1 to kill them. Tucatinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Giving T-DM1 and tucatinib may work better in preventing breast cancer from relapsing in patients with HER2 positive breast cancer compared to T-DM1 alone.

STEMVAC in Patients With Early Stage Triple Negative Breast Cancer

This phase II trial studies the effect of DNA plasmid based vaccine (STEMVAC) in treating patients with patients with stage IB-III triple negative breast cancer. STEMVAC may wake up the immune system in patients who have had a diagnosis of triple negative breast cancer and have been treated. STEMVAC targets proteins that are expressed on breast cancer cells and works by boosting the immune system to recognize and destroy the invader cancer cell proteins that are causing the disease. The purpose of this trial is to test the immune system's response to STEMVAC.

Infertility Survey Among Reproductive Age Women With Gynecological and Breast Cancer

This study develops infertility survey among reproductive age women with gynecological and breast cancer. This study aims to learn how women consider whether or not to try to have a baby after surviving cancer. The advice gathered from this survey may be shared with patients and survivors in the future, so that they have information to inform their decisions about cancer treatment and family planning.

Identifying Decision Making Needs for Older Adult Women With Stage I-III Breast Cancer Considering Neoadjuvant or Adjuvant Chemotherapy

This study collects information and identifies decision making needs for older adult women with stage I-III breast cancer considering neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy. Using this information, a decision support tool is then developed to provide patients and physicians with tailored information regarding the risks and benefits of chemotherapy and values clarification to support high-quality, shared decision. Subsequently, the decision support tool will be tested amongst older patients with early-stage breast cancer and health care providers navigating the decision process around chemotherapy, and further refined through an iterative process.

Treatment Effects on Development of Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy in Patients With Cancer

This trial studies treatment effects on development of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy in patients with cancer. Treatments for cancer can cause a problem to the nervous system (called peripheral neuropathy) that can lead to tingling or less feeling in hands and feet. Studying certain risk factors, such as age, gender, pre-existing conditions, and the type of treatment for cancer may help doctors estimate how likely patients are to develop the nerve disorder.

A Quality of Life Intervention for Young African American Breast Cancer Survivors in Treatment

This clinical trial studies the use of a quality of life intervention called Y-AMBIENT to help young African American with stage I-III breast cancer manage daily life. Y-AMBIENT is a four-month, telephone-based intervention that includes three themed education sessions with three follow-up sessions, written materials, and videos. The Y-AMBIENT intervention may improve quality of life and other health-related outcomes in young African American breast cancer survivors.

Piloting Y-AMBIENT: A Quality of Life Intervention for Young African American Breast Cancer Survivors

The purpose of this two-arm pilot RCT is to evaluate processes and preliminary outcomes of a targeted QOL intervention vs. an attention control among young AA survivors post-treatment for early (I-II) \& late (III) stage breast cancer.

Ribociclib, Tucatinib, and Trastuzumab for the Treatment of HER2 Positive Breast Cancer

This phase Ib/II trial studies the side effects and best dose of ribociclib, tucatinib, and trastuzumab for the treatment of HER2 positive breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body (metastatic), and then compares the effect of ribociclib, tucatinib, trastuzumab with or without fulvestrant to docetaxel, carboplatin, trastuzumab, and pertuzumab (standard of care) for the treatment of early stage breast cancer before surgery (neoadjuvant therapy). Ribociclib and tucatinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Trastuzumab is a form of targeted therapy because it attaches itself to specific molecules (receptors) on the surface of tumor cells, known as HER2 receptors. When trastuzumab attaches to HER2 receptors, the signals that tell the cells to grow are blocked and the tumor cell may be marked for destruction by the body's immune system. Pertuzumab is a monoclonal antibody that may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Estrogen can cause the growth of breast tumor cells. Fulvestrant blocks the use of estrogen by the tumor cells. Chemotherapy drugs, such as docetaxel and carboplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Giving ribociclib, tucatinib, and trastuzumab with or without fulvestrant before surgery may make the tumor smaller and may reduce the amount of normal tissue that needs to be removed.

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation in Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy in Patients With Stage I-III Early Stage Breast Cancer

This phase II trial examines transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in patients with stage I-III breast cancer with chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy. TENS is a procedure in which mild electric currents are applied to some areas of the skin to potentially improve neuropathy. This trial may help determine if TENS is feasible and effective for the treatment of peripheral neuropathy symptoms while on chemotherapy.

Improving Patient-Centered Communication in Breast Cancer Through Patient and Provider Interventions

This trial studies the effectiveness of two interventions on patient reported outcomes of patient centered communication and decision making about breast cancer treatment. The first intervention consists of enhancements to an existing patient-facing breast cancer treatment decision tool called iCanDecide that supports the management of worry, distress, and anxiety as compared to an existing tool. The second intervention consists of a clinician dashboard that populates information after patients view either website regarding any ongoing issues or concerns.