Brain scans could spot hidden cancer spread in breast patients

NCT ID NCT04030507

Recruiting now Diagnosis Sponsor: Brigham and Women's Hospital Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study is testing whether regular MRI scans of the brain can find cancer that has spread from the breast to the brain, even before symptoms appear. It involves 214 people with metastatic or inflammatory breast cancer. The goal is to see if early detection through screening improves quality of life and outcomes.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan
What this could lead to: If successful, this could show that routine brain MRI helps catch cancer spread early, potentially leading to better treatment timing and quality of life.
What could go wrong: This is an early-stage observational study, not a treatment trial. It may not prove that MRI screening improves survival or prevents symptoms, and false positives could cause unnecessary anxiety or procedures.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

breast cancer breast carcinoma breast neoplasm HER2 positive breast carcinoma hormone receptor-positive breast cancer inflammatory breast carcinoma triple-negative breast carcinoma

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

BREAST CANCER HER2-POSITIVE BREAST CANCER HORMONE RECEPTOR POSITIVE MALIGNANT NEOPLASM OF BREAST INFLAMMATORY BREAST CANCER METASTATIC BREAST CANCER TRIPLE NEGATIVE BREAST CANCER

Contacts and locations

Locations

Brigham and Women's Hospital
RECRUITING

Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, United States

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