A study using MRI scans to see how well chemotherapy is working for women with breast cancer (CHERNAC)
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This study used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to see how well chemotherapy before surgery works for women with breast cancer.
The study was open for women to join between 2015 and 2018. The team published the results in 2021.
More about this trial
Doctors sometimes give chemotherapy before surgery for breast cancer. It helps make the cancer smaller and easier to remove. This is called neo adjuvant chemotherapy (NACT).
People sometimes have MRI scans during chemotherapy, to find out if it is working. This can help doctors decide if people should continue with chemotherapy or not.
In this study, doctors used a scan that measures blood flow to the cancer, as well as the volume of the cancer. They hoped it would help show whether the chemotherapy was working or not.
The main aims of this study were to find out whether this type of MRI can show:
- changes in the cancer blood flow during and after chemotherapy
- how well the chemotherapy is working
Summary of results
Study design
This study was for women with breast cancer who were due to have chemotherapy before their operation.
A total of 40 women had scans as part of this study. They had an MRI scan:
- before treatment
- after one cycle of epirubicin and cyclophosphamide (EC) chemotherapy
- after chemotherapy
These scans measured the total size (volume) of the cancer, and the blood flow to it.
The researchers compared the scans to see if there were any changes after 1 cycle of chemotherapy. And then compared these changes with how well the women did at the end of chemotherapy, to see if there was a link.
Results
The research team found that there was a slight drop in blood flow to the cancer. But there was no link between:
- changes in blood flow to the cancer after 1 cycle of chemotherapy and
- how well the women did after the full course of chemotherapy
They found that there was a small link between:
- the volume of the cancer before treatment and after 1 cycle of chemotherapy and
- how well the women did after the full course of chemotherapy
Conclusion
The research team concluded that measuring blood flow to the cancer after 1 cycle of chemotherapy was not a reliable way to predict how well chemotherapy will work. But that measuring the volume of the cancer may be more useful.
More detailed information
There is more information about this research in the reference below.
Please note, this article is not in plain English. It has been written for health care professionals and researchers.
Breast tumour volume and blood flow measured by MRI after one cycle of epirubicin and cyclophosphamide-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy as predictors of pathological response
W Stevens and others
British Journal of Radiology, 2021. Volume 94, Issue 1123
Where this information comes from
We have based this summary on the information in the article above. This has been reviewed by independent specialists (
) and published in a medical journal. We have not analysed the data ourselves. As far as we are aware, the link we list above is active and the article is free and available to view.
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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
Professor David Buckley
Supported by
Breast Cancer Now
University of Leeds
If you have questions about the trial please contact our cancer information nurses
Freephone 0808 800 4040
