Improving Quality of Life for Patients With Breast Cancer Invading the Chest Wall: A Prospective Registry For Patients Undergoing Full Thickness Chest Wall Resection

November 25, 2025 updated by: University Health Network, Toronto
Although chest wall recurrence of breast cancer is uncommon, it represents a difficult clinical scenario. The role of full thickness chest wall resection (FTCWR) for breast cancer recurrence in the chest wall is controversial and is complicated by the fact that no prospective evidence exists evaluating the utility of FTCWR in prolonging survival or improving health related quality of life (HRQOL) and thus, there is a lack of evidence to guide treatment decisions. Gathering HRQOL, local-regional recurrence (LRR) and survival data in a prospective fashion is thus critical in this population. Therefore, we designed a prospective trial to evaluate the outcomes for FTCWR in terms of LRC and HRQOL, and short-term morbidity and mortality, with secondary focus on potential long-term overall survival benefit.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

This study is a prospective, non-randomized cohort study for patients with chest wall-recurrent/invasive breast cancer treated with full thickness chest wall resection (FTCWR), chemotherapy and/or radiation. The design of this study was created using the framework for surgical trials set out by the IDEAL collaboration (Idea, Development, Exploration, Assessment, Long-Term follow up), 14 after a systematic evaluation of the current literature had been completed. Given that no prospective evidence exists in this patient population and based on the IDEAL framework, this study is designed to create a prospective registry.

Data on the efficacy of the standard interventions (surgery, chemotherapy, radiation) will be evaluated using 'global criteria', that is, the data that will be collected via the scores on the FACT-B, the Brief Pain Inventory, and the specific cancer outcomes as outlined previously (local regional recurrence (LRC), overall survival, short term morbidity and mortality as well as disease-free survival).

The primary objective is to measure the differences in Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - Breast (FACT-B) scale scores from baseline to 6 month evaluation.

In addition to measuring health related quality of life (HRQOL) at 6 months, differences in the FACT-B scale at 1-month, 3-months and 1-year postoperatively will be examined. Rates of LRC, defined as local recurrence in the ipsilateral chest wall, axilla, infra- or supraclavicular region at 1, 2, 3 and 5-years postoperatively will be measured, as well as thirty and ninety-day morbidity and mortality (to be classified using the Thoracic Morbidity and Mortality (TM and M) classification system). As well, data will be collected on overall survival, measured as the proportion of patients surviving to at 1-year, 2-years, 3-years and 5 years postoperatively. Lastly, data will be collected on disease-free survival, defined as any evidence of systemic recurrence plus LRR at 1-year, 2-years, 3-years and 5-years postoperatively.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
104

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • Canada
    • Ontario
      • Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5G 2C4
        • Recruiting
        • University Health Network (Toronto General Hospital and Princess Margaret Cancer Centre)
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Shaf Keshavjee

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Patients with chest wall-recurrent/invasive breast cancer treated with FTCWR, chemotherapy and/or radiation.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. >18 years of age

  2. Breast cancer with invasion of the chest wall (ribs, para-costal soft tissue, intercostal muscle or soft-tissue) that is:

    1. Radiologically proven on cross-sectional imaging
    2. Histologically proven
  3. Medically fit for surgery
  4. >1 year disease-free interval (between initial treatment and recurrence) for patients with local recurrence

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Medically inoperable due to co-morbidity or other contraindication to surgery
  2. Technically unresectable disease
  3. Ineligible for chemotherapy
  4. ECOG performance status >2
  5. Patient refusal

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Observational Models: Cohort
  • Time Perspectives: Prospective

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Group / Cohort

A group or subgroup of participants in an observational study that is assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
patients with an isolated recurrence in the chest wall
Other: FACT-B and Brief Pain Inventory
Quality of Life Questionnaires
distant metastatic disease is present but who undergo FTCWR
Other: FACT-B and Brief Pain Inventory
Quality of Life Questionnaires
patient with primary tumor, no distant ds, failed conventional
Other: FACT-B and Brief Pain Inventory
Quality of Life Questionnaires
patients refusing to undergo surgery
Other: FACT-B and Brief Pain Inventory
Quality of Life Questionnaires

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Time Frame
differences in Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - Breast (FACT-B) scale scores
Time Frame: from baseline to 6 month evaluation
from baseline to 6 month evaluation

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Time Frame
FACT-B scale
Time Frame: 1-month, 3-months and 1-year postoperatively
1-month, 3-months and 1-year postoperatively
Local Recurrence
Time Frame: 1, 2, 3 and 5-years postoperatively
1, 2, 3 and 5-years postoperatively
Morbidity and mortality
Time Frame: 90 days post op
90 days post op
Overall Survival
Time Frame: 1-year, 2-years, 3-years and 5 years postoperatively
1-year, 2-years, 3-years and 5 years postoperatively
Disease Free Survival
Time Frame: 1-year, 2-years, 3-years and 5 years postoperatively
1-year, 2-years, 3-years and 5 years postoperatively
Brief Pain Inventory
Time Frame: 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 1 year postoperatively.
1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 1 year postoperatively.

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University Health Network, Toronto

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Shaf Keshavjee, University Health Network, Toronto

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
August 22, 2017

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
August 22, 2030

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
August 22, 2030

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
August 25, 2017

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 25, 2017

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
August 29, 2017

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
December 3, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
November 25, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
November 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 17-5560

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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