Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation to Improve Gait for Breast Cancer Survivor's Who Received Taxene and/or Platinum Chemotherapy

November 6, 2026 updated by: University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center

A Randomized, Sham Controlled, Double Blinded, Crossover Mechanistic Trial of the Impact of Transcranial Direct Current to the Left Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex on Gait in Older Breast Cancer Survivor's Post-Taxane Chemotherapy

This clinical trial tests the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to improve gait in older breast cancer survivors who received taxane and/or platinum chemotherapy. Chemotherapy, especially taxane or platinum therapy, can cause damage to the to the nerves resulting in numbness, tingling and pain, which can cause difficulty walking. It can also cause cognitive dysfunction which may effect gait. TDCS is a non-invasive brain stimulation device which uses a very mild electrical current applied to the scalp to temporarily stimulate a specific area of the brain involved in thinking and movement which may improve walking, particularly while doing two things at once. TDCS may be effective in improving gait for older breast cancer survivors who received taxane and/or platinum chemotherapy.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet 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.

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.
Interventional

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.
60

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

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

  • United States
    • Michigan
      • Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States, 48109
        • University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Brendan L. McNeish

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

60 years to 85 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Women aged 60-85 years
  • Breast cancer survivors, stages I-IV without clinical suspicion or evidence of brain metastasis
  • Completion of last taxane and/or platinum chemotherapy treatment ≥ 6 months prior, but chemotherapy was received after the age of 60. Taxane combined with a history of platinum, anthracycline and/or cyclophosphamide is permitted. Active anti-estrogen therapy, Anti-HER2, and CDK 4/6 inhibitors are permitted
  • Ability to walk unassisted for 60 seconds
  • Proficient in English
  • Without neurological disease, aside from chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) or chemotherapy related cognitive dysfunction (CRCD)
  • No history of a second cancer besides skin cancer

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Hospitalization within the past three months due to acute illness or as the result of a musculoskeletal injury significantly affecting gait or balance
  • Any unstable medical condition
  • Diagnosis of a gait disorder, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease or dementia, multiple sclerosis, previous stroke or other neurodegenerative disorder
  • Chronic vertigo
  • Myocardial infarction within the past six months
  • History of immune check point inhibitor therapy
  • Any history of brain or cervical spine surgery, known hearing, visual, or vestibular impairment
  • Active neurotoxic chemotherapy (taxane, platinum or vinca alkaloid) or radiation therapy
  • Contraindications to transcranial direct simulation (tDCS), including reported seizure within the past two years,, metal objects in head or neck, self-reported presence of specific implanted medical devices (e.g., deep brain stimulator, cochlear implant, vagus nerve stimulator, spinal cord stimulator, pacemakers, and intracardiac devices, etc.), or the presence of any active dermatological condition, such as eczema, on the scalp

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

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
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.
Experimental: Arm I: tDCS first, followed by sham

Patients receive tDCS, over 20 minutes. One week later patients crossover to receive sham
Other: Survey Administration

Ancillary studies

Procedure: Sham Intervention

Receive sham tDCS

Other Names:
  • Sham Comparator
  • sham (procedure)
Device: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

Receive tDCS

Other Names:
  • tDCS
Experimental: Arm II (sham tDCS followed by tDCS)

Patients receive sham tDCS, over 20 minutes. One week later patients crossover to receive treatment with actual tDCS
Other: Survey Administration

Ancillary studies

Procedure: Sham Intervention

Receive sham tDCS

Other Names:
  • Sham Comparator
  • sham (procedure)
Device: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

Receive tDCS

Other Names:
  • tDCS

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
Measure Description
Time Frame
Dual task gait speed cost
Time Frame: Before and after stimulation at visit 2 and 3

This cost will be operationalized as the absolute and percent change in gait metrics (time to walk/variability) during dual-task walking relative to walking without a secondary task. Cost will be defined as ([speed dual task - speed single task]/speed single task] *100). Will fit a series of linear mixed models with each of the dual task costs, prefrontal cortex activation, and executive function measures as the dependent variables; sequence, period, and treatment as fixed effects of interest; baseline values as fixed effect covariates; and a participant-within sequence random effect.
Before and after stimulation at visit 2 and 3

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
Measure Description
Time Frame
Dual task cost to gait speed
Time Frame: At baseline

Will fit a series of analyses of covariance models with each gait single task and dual-task cost measure as the dependent variable; group (older, taxane-treated female breast cancer survivors versus non-cancer historical control group) as the factor of interest; and other measures of interest (age, proprioception, grip strength, depression, and pain) or other variables different between groups as covariates.
At baseline
Prefrontal hemodynamic response
Time Frame: At baseline

Assessed via functional near-infrared spectroscopy during dual task gait speed. Will fit a series of linear mixed models with each measure of prefrontal cortex activation as the dependent variable; group (older, taxane-treated female breast cancer survivors versus non-cancer historical control group), task (single/dual), and their interaction as fixed effects; covariates as additional fixed effects; and a participant random effect.
At baseline

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 of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
National Institute on Aging (NIA)

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: Brendan L McNeish, University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center

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 (Estimated)

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.
December 1, 2026

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.
December 1, 2029

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.
December 1, 2029

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).
October 2, 2026

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.
October 2, 2026

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.
October 8, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

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.
November 9, 2026

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 6, 2026

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, 2026

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.
  • UMCC 2026.040
  • NCI-2026-05186 (Registry Identifier: CTRP (Clinical Trial Reporting Program))
  • HUM00288401 (Other Identifier: University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center)
  • K23AG090624 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

Individual participant data from this study will be made available after de-identification. Data will be available after the completion of the study or after publication, whichever is earlier, through the National Institute on Aging data sharing repository, Aging Research Biobank.

IPD Sharing Time Frame

IPD will be available 12/30/2029

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

Appropriate parties with appropriate intention for use of the data, starting at the end of 2029, will have access to PHI-free data, via the National Institute on Aging data sharing repository: Aging Research Biobank.

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL
  • SAP
  • ICF

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

Yes

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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