
“I was keen to go on a clinical trial. I wanted to try new cancer treatments and hopefully help future generations.”
This study was comparing ultrasound scans with 3 types of updated breast scan, for people having treatment to shrink breast cancer before surgery.
Doctors use a number of tests to detect breast cancer and monitor how it responds to treatment. These include breast X-ray (mammogram), ultrasound scans and a scan called magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Although these methods are very useful, researchers wanted to develop tests to find disease earlier, and monitor response more accurately. They wanted to look at 3 updated scans to do this.
The first scan senses heat from the body. This infrared scan (IR scan) processes temperature differences in the breast and creates a colour coded picture. Changes in the cancer cause changes in temperature, which show up on the picture. The other 2 scans are similar to ultrasound scans. 3D ultrasound takes a more detailed picture of your breast. And ‘ultrasound elastography’ can highlight ‘stiff’ tissue in the breast, which indicates an area of cancer. Researchers wanted to look at scan results, and to study blood and tissue samples. The aims of this study were to
This trial was never finished because the researchers had technical difficulties.
Please note: In order to join a trial you will need to discuss it with your doctor, unless otherwise specified.
Dr Matthew Wallis
Dr Helena Earl
Professor Carlos Caldas
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Cancer Research UK
Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre (ECMC)
If you have questions about the trial please contact our cancer information nurses
Freephone 0808 800 4040
“I was keen to go on a clinical trial. I wanted to try new cancer treatments and hopefully help future generations.”