Could less chemo be enough for some breast cancer patients?

NCT ID NCT03716180

Ongoing Disease control Sponsor: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This pilot study is testing whether women with HER2-positive breast cancer who respond well to initial chemotherapy can safely receive less treatment after surgery. About 100 participants will receive a combination of drugs (paclitaxel, trastuzumab, and pertuzumab) before surgery, and those whose tumors disappear completely will only get antibody therapy afterward. The goal is to see if this de-escalated approach is acceptable to patients and doctors, while still controlling the disease.

What this could mean

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

Active substance: Paclitaxel, Trastuzumab, and Pertuzumab
What this could lead to: If successful, this could show that some patients with HER2-positive breast cancer can safely receive less chemotherapy after surgery, reducing side effects.
What could go wrong: This is a small, early-phase pilot study, so results may not apply to all patients. The approach may not work for everyone, and there is a risk of cancer recurrence with reduced treatment.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

breast cancer breast neoplasm HER2 positive breast carcinoma

As listed by the trial registrant

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

BREAST CANCER

Contacts and locations

Locations

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States
DF/BWCC at Milford Regional Medical Center

Milford, Massachusetts, 01757, United States
DF/BWCC in clinical affiliation with South Shore Hospital

South Weymouth, Massachusetts, 02190, United States
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States
Massachusetts General Hospital

Boston, Massachusetts, 02114, United States

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