RecruitingPhase 2

BRE-04: Window of Opportunity Trial of Preoperative Low Dose Azacitidine in High-Risk Early Stage Breast Cancer

Who can join

As published by the study on ClinicalTrials.gov. "Not stated" means the study hasn't said — ask the study team.

Age
18 Years and older
Sex
All sexes
Healthy volunteers
Not accepted
Compensation
Not stated

Other requirements are listed under Eligibility below. Only the study team can confirm whether you can join.

What to expect

No one can promise a trial will help you personally — that is what the research is trying to find out.

What participation involves

Not stated in the study description — ask the study team about visits and procedures.

Compensation
Not stated
  • Study-related exams and procedures are typically provided at no cost. This is how many trials work in general — confirm the details for this study with the study team.
  • Participants are monitored closely by the research team throughout the study.
  • Some participants may receive access to an investigational treatment, which is still being studied.
  • Your participation helps researchers learn whether this approach could help future patients.

About this study

In plain language

This study tests low-dose azacitidine before surgery in adults with high-risk, early-stage breast cancer. It looks at whether the drug changes the number of immune cells inside the tumor.

To determine the effect of low dose azacitidine therapy on tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in primary tumors from patients with high-risk early stage breast cancer, paired t-tests will be first used to compare TIL count in pre- and post-treatment specimens.

Compensation is read from the study's own description and may be missing — always confirm with the study team.

Eligibility

Who can join

  • Age 18 or older.
  • Able to do all or most self-care and be out of bed or a chair for at least half the day.
  • A biopsy confirms invasive breast cancer, meaning it has grown into nearby breast tissue. The cancer must meet the study’s stage limits and must not have spread to distant parts of the body.
  • Cancer must be triple-negative, HER2-positive, or estrogen receptor (ER)-positive with a high-risk feature. For ER-positive cancer, these features include HER2-positive status, cancer in lymph nodes, a high-risk gene test, or no progesterone receptors (PR). ER, PR, and HER2 are markers tested on cancer cells.
  • Blood counts and kidney and liver tests must meet study limits. These tests must be done within 30 days before signing up.
  • Must give written consent and permission to share personal health information.
  • Women who could become pregnant must not be pregnant or breastfeeding and must have a negative pregnancy test.
  • Must be able to understand and follow study steps for the full study, as judged by the study team.

Who can't join

  • Already received treatment meant to treat the current breast cancer.
  • Any type of breast implant.
  • An active infection that needs medicine that works throughout the body.
  • Uncontrolled HIV/AIDS or active viral hepatitis, a liver infection.
  • Pregnant or breastfeeding.
  • A past or current other cancer that could affect the study’s safety or results, as judged by the treating cancer doctor.
  • A mental or physical condition that prevents giving consent or taking part, unless a legally authorized person can sign for the patient.
  • Another major health condition, as judged by the lead study doctor.

Simplified for readability. The official criteria below are what the study team uses.

Official eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Age ≥ 18 years of age at time of consent 2. ECOG 0, 1, or 2 3. Histologically confirmed invasive breast carcinoma documented by biopsy. AJCC 8th edition clinical stage T1a-T3/N0-N1/M0 by physical exam or radiologic studies 4. Disease characteristics I. TNBC (Less than or equal to 10% of tumor cells staining for ER and for PR by immunohistochemistry (IHC). HER2-negative, as defined by ASCO/CAP guidelines) OR II. ER positive (as determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC)) and any of the following high risk characteristics: 1. HER2 positive (IHC or FISH) 2. Node positive 3. Any clinical high-risk expression profile (mammaprint, oncotype, endopredict) 4. PR negative (IHC) OR III. HER 2 positive (as defined by ASCO/ACP guidelines) f. Demonstrates adequate organ function as defined in table below. All screening labs to be obtained within 30 days prior to registration. System Laboratory Value Hematological Leukocytes ≥3,000/mm3 Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm3 Absolute Neutrophil Count (ANC) ≥ 1,500/mm3 Hemoglobin (Hgb) ≥ 9.0 g/dL Renal Creatinine/Calculated creatinine clearance (CrCl) Cr \< 1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN) or CrCl ≥ 50 mL/min using the Cockcroft-Gault formula Hepatic Bilirubin Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 × ULN. Subjects with Gilbert's syndrome may have a bilirubin \> 1.5 × ULN, if no evidence of biliary obstruction exists Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ≤ 2.5 × ULN Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ≤ 2.5 × ULN g. No evidence of distant metastases (M0 per AJCC staging guidelines) h. Provided written informed consent and HIPAA authorization for release of personal health information, via an approved UIC Institutional Review Board (IRB) informed consent form and HIPAA authorization. i. Women of childbearing potential must not be pregnant or breast-feeding. A negative serum or urine pregnancy test is required per institutional practice guidelines. j. As determined at the discretion of the enrolling physician or protocol designee, ability of the subject to understand and comply with study procedures for the entire length of the study. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Previous anti-cancer treatment (cytotoxic chemotherapy, immunotherapy, biologic therapy, radiotherapy directed towards the primary breast tumor and/or ipsilateral axillary lymph nodes or investigational agents) with therapeutic intent for the current breast cancer. 2. Any type of breast implants 3. Active infection requiring systemic therapy 4. Uncontrolled HIV/AIDS or active viral hepatitis 5. Pregnant or nursing 6. Any prior or concurrent malignancy whose natural history or treatment has the potential to interfere with the safety or efficacy assessment of this investigational regimen, as determined by the treating medical oncologist. 7. Any mental or medical condition that prevents the patient from giving informed consent or participating in the trial unless a Legal Authorized Representative (LAR) is in place to sign on behalf of the patient. 8. Other major comorbidity, as determined by study PI

Study sites (1)

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