Cytokine Expression During Radiation for Breast Cancer

To assess the magnitude and frequency of changes in chemo/cytokine expression in women receiving radiation treatment. To asses the impact of race/ethnicity on the magnitude and frequency of changes in chemo/cytokine expression during radiation therapy for breast cancer. And finally to assess the interaction between radiation-induced chemo/cytokine expression changes, and race/ethnicity, with respect to normal tissue reactions to radiation and tumor-associated outcomes.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Breast Cancer
• Intervention / Treatment: Radiation: Radiation therapy

Detailed Description

It is well recognized that the diagnostic and therapeutic gains made in the management of breast cancer over the last 2 decades are not fully realized by all groups. African American women with breast cancer have greater risk of recurrence, shorter overall survival, shorter survival after relapse, worse toxicity and worse cosmetic outcome than their Caucasian counterparts. These differences in outcome persist even when controlling for age, and stage at presentation. Being similarly treated with modern breast conserving therapy (lumpectomy and adjuvant whole breast irradiation) at recognized centers of excellence does little to alleviate the disparities in outcomes. Controlling for socioeconomic factors decreases the severity of these disparities, but it does not completely explain them. Theories abound as to the cause of outcome inequality. Many of these theories take either a psychosocial, or biologic bent. One potential biologic cause may be chemokine and cytokine expression.

Chemokines and cytokines (chemo/cytokines) are proteins and peptides used for cell signaling. Primarily secreted by T cells and macrophages, they influence cellular activation, differentiation, and function and act as mediators for inflammatory and immune responses. There has been substantial research linking some of these chemo/cytokines [Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), platelet derived growth factor (PDGF), Transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ), interleukin (IL)-6,and IL-8] to tumor promotion and progression. For example, TNFα has been linked to greater cell survival despite genomic injury which in turn leads to greater genetic alterations and malignant transformation. TNFα has been associated with breast cancer progression and metastases. Blocking the receptor for PDGF appears to decrease the metastatic potential of breast cancer cell lines. TGFβ inhibits T cell and B cell lymphocytes and natural killer cell cytotoxicity. This immuno-suppression has been shown to promote tumor progression in mammary cancer cells lines. The ability of TGFβ to promote tumor progression is so well recognized that it has become a therapeutic target by some researchers. Interferon gamma (IFNγ) has been shown to inhibit mammary cancer cell proliferation and angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo. Clinically, Lyon et al reported significantly higher circulating levels of TNFα, IL-6, and IL-8 in women with breast cancer compared to women with a negative breast biopsy. Additionally, researchers have directly correlated increased levels of IL-6 with the development and progression of breast cancer, and decreased overall survival (OAS). Conclusion: Expression of certain chemokines and cytokines is associated with development and progression of breast cancer.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 82
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Maryland
    • Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 21231
      • Johns Hopkins Hospital
    • Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 21231
      • The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicne

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 100 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: Female

Description

INCLUSION CRITERIA:

• Patient must be 18 years of age or older
• Patients must have histologically confirmed (by routine H&E staining) adenocarcinoma of the breast any T, any N, M0 disease
• Patients must have undergone a segmental mastectomy (SM) with a level I and ll axillary dissection or sentinel lymph node biopsy. Surgical margins at time of local surgery must be negative greater or equal to 2mm for both invasive carcinoma and for non-invasive ductal carcinoma Patients who have post-operative margins which are negative but less than 2mm will be considered eligible if the surgeon states that the margin in question cannot be improved.
• Patients must be registered such that radiation therapy begins within 10 weeks of last surgery
• Patients must have a performance status 0 or 1 by Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) criteria or a 80-100 Karnofsky Performance Scale at time of consult
• Women of all races and ethnic groups are eligible for this trial

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

• Patients must not have received prior radiation therapy to the breast at any time for any reason
• Patients with squamous carcinomas or sarcomas of the breast cancer are not eligible
• Patients treated with a mastectomy are NOT eligible
• Any patient with active local-regional disease prior to registration is not eligible
• No other prior malignancy is allowed except for adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, in situ cervical cancer, or any other cancer from which the patient has been disease-free for at least 5 years
• Patients must not be pregnant due to the potential for fetal harm as a result of this treatment regimen. Women of child-bearing potential must use effective non hormonal contraception while undergoing radiation therapy
• Patients must not have a serious medical or psychiatric illness which prevents informed consent or compliance with treatment

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Diagnostic
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Other: Radiation therapy; Women with non-metastatic breast cancer status post lumpectomy to negative margins and who are receiving whole breast irradiation as per standard treatment plan.	Radiation: Radiation therapy; Patients will receive whole breast radiation therapy at a dose of 180-200 centigray (cGy) per fraction for 23-27 fractions to a total dose of 4600 - 4860 cGy. Additional radiation to the lumpectomy bed (Boost) is at the discretion of the treating physician. The total dose to the tumor bed cannot exceed 6600 cGy.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Number of Proteins Expressed Differently in Response to Receiving Radiation Therapy	Number of proteins that are expressed differently in response to receiving radiation therapy for breast cancer. The data reflect the total number of proteins pooled across all participants.	2 - 4 weeks post radiation therapy

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Number of Proteins With Differential Expression by Race/Ethnicity	To asses the impact of race/ethnicity on the expression of proteins after radiation therapy for breast cancer. The data reflect the total number of proteins pooled across all participants.	2 - 4 weeks post radiation therapy
Number of Metabolites That Changed Differentially on the Basis of Patient Toxicity	The chemo/cytokine expression changes with respect to radiation toxicities as assessed by number of metabolites that changed differentially on the basis of patient toxicity. The data reflect the total number of metabolites pooled across all participants.	2 - 4 weeks post radiation therapy

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins
• Collaborators: Breast Cancer Research Foundation

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): November 13, 2009
• Primary Completion (Actual): November 26, 2014
• Study Completion (Actual): November 1, 2019

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 3, 2009
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 3, 2009
• First Posted (Estimate): February 4, 2009

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): October 8, 2020
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 14, 2020
• Last Verified: September 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Cytokine; Disparities; Tumor Marker
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Skin Diseases; Neoplasms; Neoplasms by Site; Breast Diseases; Breast Neoplasms
• Other Study ID Numbers: J08130; NA_00024399 (Other Identifier: JHM IRB)