Study of Circulating and Tumor Biomarkers in Breast Cancer Patients

December 10, 2013 updated by: National University Hospital, Singapore

Aims: To evaluate the role of monoclonal antibodies in the detection of cancer specific antigens in blood and tumor tissue, and the potential use of these antibodies for future evaluation for therapy. Also, to evaluate the presence of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and to study EMT (epithelial-mesenchymal) signature changes during chemotherapy.

Methods: To take 20mls of blood from advanced breast cancer patients before a new course of anti-cancer therapy, and another 20mls of blood 3 weeks after treatment. In addition, Consent will be obtained to cut 10-15 tissue sections from their archival tumor specimens. Whenever possible, the blood taking will be timed such that no additional needle prick will be done specifically for the purpose of the study, by coinciding it with standard blood taking which is required for the patient's treatment.

Importance of proposed research to science or medicine:Detection of tumor specific antigens in the blood may potentially reduce the need for more invasive biopsies for confirmation of diagnosis of cancer or follow-up of cancer in the future. The identification and development of antibodies specific to these tumor antigens or markers may offer future therapeutic options, or as a vehicle to deliver cytotoxic therapy. Identification of CTCs as well as understanding the changes that occur in EMT signature in these circulating tumor cells may serve as a means of potential means of prognostication and modification of therapy in the future.

Potential Benefits and Risks: Potential risks to the patient include that of blood taking (pain, feeling faint, infection). Patients will not benefit directly from the study but the knowledge gained may help the management of future patients.

Cancer biomarkers, such as antigens and circulating tumor cells, may be a potential area to developing new methods of diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Monoclonal antibiotics are now able to be identified and isolated that may specifically target progenitors of breast cancer as well as CTCs. The changes that occur to CTCs during treatment may serve as a means of prognostication, as well as allow for therapeutic modifications. Clinical correlative studies into these areas (MAbs and CTCs) will serve to determine the role of these in clinical application in the future.

Study Overview

Status

Unknown

Conditions

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Anticipated)

100

Contacts and Locations

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

Study Locations

  • Singapore
      • Singapore, Singapore
        • Recruiting
        • Nationa University Hospital
        • Contact:

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

Ages Eligible for Study

21 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

Female

Sampling Method

Probability Sample

Study Population

Patients being treated with Breast Cancer at National University Hospital (Singapore)

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Advanced breast cancer patients whose cancer have progressed and are due to start a new course of anti-cancer therapy.The patient needs to have had previous breast cancer surgery at NUH (lumpectomy or mastectomy) or a diagnostic core biopsy for breast cancer, and consent to allow for blood taking and access to archival tissue.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • No available archival tumor specimen at NUH.

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

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Detection of cancer specific antigens in blood and tumor tissue
Time Frame: 1 year
1 year

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

National University Hospital, Singapore

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

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

March 1, 2012

Primary Completion (Anticipated)

February 1, 2016

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

April 4, 2012

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 27, 2013

First Posted (Estimate)

May 31, 2013

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

December 11, 2013

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

December 10, 2013

Last Verified

December 1, 2013

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 2012/00105

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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