A study looking at predicting how well chemotherapy before surgery will work for breast cancer (NEO study)
Cancer type:
Status:
Phase:
This study is looking at a way of trying to tell in advance how well breast cancer is likely to respond to chemotherapy before surgery.
More about this trial
Doctors often treat breast cancer with chemotherapy before surgery. This is to shrink the cancer so you can have a smaller operation to remove it. We know from research that most cancers respond well to chemotherapy. But unfortunately some don’t. If doctors could tell earlier whether chemotherapy was working or not, some women would be able to avoid having treatment that would not help them.
The researchers will take samples of your cancer and blood samples before you start treatment and during treatment. They will look for genes and proteins in the samples to find out which cancers respond to chemotherapy. They think that by doing this, they may be able to tell very early in treatment if the cancer is responding or not.
The aim of this study is to find a way of predicting very early in chemotherapy whose cancer is responding.
You will not have any direct benefit from taking part in this study. But the results will be used to help improve treatment for people with breast cancer in the future.
Who can enter
You can join this study if all of the following apply. You
- Are a woman with breast cancer
- Are to have chemotherapy before having surgery to remove your cancer
- Are between 18 and 75 years old
You cannot join this study if any of these apply. You
- Are not able to have chemotherapy
- Have another cancer
- Are pregnant or breastfeeding
Trial design
The researchers need 300 women who go to the Western General Hospital, Edinburgh to join the study.
You have a sample of your cancer and blood samples taken
- Before starting chemotherapy
- Half way through your chemotherapy
You also give a blood sample at the end of your chemotherapy and then once a year for 5 years.
The surgeon will take another cancer tissue sample when you have your operation.
The study team might ask for another sample of cancer tissue if your breast cancer comes back.
Hospital visits
There are no extra hospital visits if you take part in this study.
Side effects
You may have some bruising and discomfort from where they take the blood and cancer tissue samples.
Location
Recruitment start:
Recruitment end:
How to join a clinical trial
Please note: In order to join a trial you will need to discuss it with your doctor, unless otherwise specified.
Chief Investigator
Dr Olga Oikonomidou
Supported by
NHS Lothian
NIHR Clinical Research Network: Cancer
If you have questions about the trial please contact our cancer information nurses
Freephone 0808 800 4040
