Temporal Immunologic Changes With Hypofractionated Radiation-Induced DNA Damage in Breast Cancer

April 30, 2026 updated by: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Breast Radiation-induced Immunologic Genomic Hypofractionated Temporal Radiation Alterations DNA Damage (BRIGHT-RAD) Study.

This study assesses changes to the immune cells following hypofractionated radiation-induced DNA damage in breast cancer patients. Radiation therapy may cause immune cells to enter tumors and target cancer cells. The goal of this study is to measure the change in the level of immune cells in the tumor before and after radiation therapy.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:

I. To estimate the percent change in immune infiltration at day 3 and day 7 of radiotherapy (RT) relative to baseline (before radiotherapy).

SECONDARY OBJECTIVE:

I. To estimate the degree of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage at approximately 3 and 7 days after radiotherapy compared to baseline.

II. To examine cancer cell intrinsic immune signaling following radiotherapy.

EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVE:

I. To examine the association between DNA damage and micronuclei formation. II. To examine the association between DNA damage and immune infiltration. III. To examine the association between micronuclei formation and immune infiltration.

OUTLINE:

Patients undergo RT on day 1. Patients also undergo tumor punch biopsies and blood sample collection prior to the first fraction and on days 1, 3, and 7.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

36

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 Locations

  • United States
    • Texas
      • Houston, Texas, United States, 77030
        • Recruiting
        • M D Anderson Cancer Center
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Simona F. Shaitelman, MD

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

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Patients with breast cancer that appears to be superficially accessible to a tumor punch biopsy

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients >= 18 years of age with biopsy proven invasive breast cancer
  • Breast cancer that appears to be superficially accessible to a tumor punch biopsy
  • Patients thought to derive clinical benefit from palliative RT to the breast/chestwall
  • In discussions with the medical oncologist, if clinically reasonable, systemic therapy will be held during RT

Exclusion Criteria:

  • A history of prior radiation to the area requiring radiation for which the attending physician believes reirradiation could not be safely delivered
  • Pregnancy
  • Active usage of anticoagulant medications that are considered to pose an increased risk of tumor punch biopsies
  • Receipt of immunotherapy or chemotherapy 7 days prior to start of RT

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

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Intervention / Treatment
Observational (RT, biopsy)
Patients undergo RT on day 1. Patients also undergo tumor punch biopsies and blood sample collection prior to the first fraction and on days 1, 3, and 7.
Radiation: Radiation Therapy
Undergo RT
Other Names:
  • Cancer Radiotherapy
  • Irradiate
  • Irradiated
  • Irradiation
  • Radiation
  • Radiotherapeutics
  • Radiotherapy
  • RT
  • Therapy, Radiation
Procedure: Biospecimen Collection
Undergo blood sample collection
Other Names:
  • Biological Sample Collection
  • Biospecimen Collected
Procedure: Biopsy
Undergo tumor punch biopsy
Other Names:
  • Bx
  • BIOPSY_TYPE

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Percent change of CD8+ T cells
Time Frame: Baseline up to day 8
Will be estimated with corresponding two-sided 80% confidence intervals. Also, marker levels at each time point and unstandardized effect sizes (arithmetic differences from baseline) across time points will be estimated along with 2-sided 80% confidence intervals.
Baseline up to day 8
Percent change of CD4+ T cells
Time Frame: Baseline up to day 8
Will be estimated with corresponding two-sided 80% confidence intervals. Also, marker levels at each time point and unstandardized effect sizes (arithmetic differences from baseline) across time points will be estimated along with 2-sided 80% confidence intervals.
Baseline up to day 8

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Collaborators

Artidis

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Simona F Shaitelman, MD, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

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.

Helpful Links

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)

September 15, 2023

Primary Completion (Estimated)

December 31, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

December 31, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

June 1, 2022

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 1, 2022

First Posted (Actual)

June 6, 2022

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 6, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 30, 2026

Last Verified

April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 2021-0669 (Other Identifier: M D Anderson Cancer Center)
  • NCI-2021-09773 (Registry Identifier: CTRP (Clinical Trial Reporting Program))

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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