PET scans may predict breast cancer drug response before surgery

NCT ID NCT01937117

First seen Jul 01, 2026 · Last updated Jul 01, 2026

Summary

This study investigates whether early changes on a PET scan can predict which patients with HER2-positive breast cancer will have a complete response to a combination of trastuzumab and pertuzumab given before surgery. Participants receive the two drugs and undergo PET scans at the start and on day 15. The goal is to see if a drop in tumor activity on the scan correlates with no cancer remaining at surgery.

What this could mean

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

Active substance

trastuzumab and pertuzumab

What this could lead to

If early PET changes reliably predict response, doctors could tailor treatment more quickly, avoiding ineffective therapy and its side effects.

What could go wrong

This is a small, early-phase study focused on imaging correlation, not treatment outcome. The approach may not prove accurate enough for routine use.

Disclaimer Read more

This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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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.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Baylor College of Medicine

    Houston, Texas, 77030, United States

  • Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center - University of Washington

    Seattle, Washington, 98109, United States

  • Indiana University Simon Cancer Center

    Indianapolis, Indiana, 46202, United States

  • Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center at Sibley Memorial Hospital

    Washington D.C., District of Columbia, 20016, United States

  • Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599, United States

  • Mayo Clinic

    Rochester, Minnesota, 55905, United States

  • Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins

    Baltimore, Maryland, 21287-0013, United States

  • The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

    Houston, Texas, 77030, United States

  • University of Alabama Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Birmingham, Alabama, 35294, United States

  • Vanderbilt University

    Nashville, Tennessee, 37232, United States