Could breast cancer patients avoid surgery? new trial tests less treatment

NCT ID NCT02945579

Recruiting now Disease control Sponsor: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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

Summary

This study is for people with certain types of breast cancer (HER2-positive or triple-negative) who have a complete response to initial drug therapy. It tests whether they can safely skip surgery and only receive radiation, or skip radiation if surgery shows no cancer left. For another group (ER-positive/HER2-negative), it tests skipping surgery after hormone therapy and radiation. The goal is to see if less treatment can still keep cancer from coming back.

What this could mean

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

Active substance: radiation therapy (external beam radiotherapy or partial breast irradiation)
What this could lead to: If successful, this could allow some breast cancer patients to avoid surgery or additional radiation, reducing side effects and recovery time while maintaining cancer control.
What could go wrong: This is an early-phase trial with only 120 participants, so results may not apply to all patients. There is a risk that skipping standard treatments could lead to cancer recurrence.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

breast cancer breast carcinoma breast neoplasm estrogen-receptor negative breast cancer estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer HER2 positive breast carcinoma Her2-receptor negative breast cancer hormone receptor-positive breast cancer invasive breast carcinoma progesterone-receptor positive breast cancer triple-negative breast carcinoma

As listed by the trial registrant

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

ESTROGEN RECEPTOR NEGATIVE HER2-POSITIVE BREAST CARCINOMA HER2/NEU NEGATIVE INVASIVE BREAST CARCINOMA PROGESTERONE RECEPTOR NEGATIVE STAGE I BREAST CANCER AJCC V7 STAGE IA BREAST CANCER AJCC V7 STAGE IB BREAST CANCER AJCC V7 STAGE II BREAST CANCER AJCC V6 AND V7 STAGE IIA BREAST CANCER AJCC V6 AND V7 STAGE IIB BREAST CANCER AJCC V6 AND V7 TRIPLE-NEGATIVE BREAST CARCINOMA

Contacts and locations

Locations

Baptist MD Anderson Cancer Center
RECRUITING

Jacksonville, Florida, 32207, United States
Carolinas Medical Center/Levine Cancer Institute
RECRUITING

Charlotte, North Carolina, 28203, United States
Cooper Hospital Univ Med Ctr, MD Anderson at Cooper Voorhees
RECRUITING

Voorhees Township, New Jersey, 08103, United States
M D Anderson Cancer Center
RECRUITING

Houston, Texas, 77030, United States
MD Anderson Cancer Center - Banner
COMPLETED

Gilbert, Arizona, 85234, United States
Mayo Clinic
RECRUITING

Rochester, Minnesota, 55905, United States
Queen's Medical Center
COMPLETED

Honolulu, Hawaii, 96813, United States
University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI)
RECRUITING

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15232, United States

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