Blood test could spot hidden breast cancer early and guide Life-Saving treatment
NCT ID NCT04567420
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jul 09, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This study is for people with a high-risk type of breast cancer (ER+/HER2-) who have finished initial treatment but still face a chance of the cancer coming back. Researchers will use a simple blood test to look for tiny bits of tumor DNA. If found, participants will be randomly assigned to get either standard hormone therapy or a stronger drug combination (palbociclib plus fulvestrant) to try to stop the cancer from returning. The goal is to see if this personalized approach improves outcomes.
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Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Phase 2
Tests whether the treatment actually works, and watches for side effects, in a larger group.
- Participants
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About 70 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Feb 2021
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2028
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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A company
The lead sponsor is a pharmaceutical, biotech, or medical-device company.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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Children (under 18), adults (18 to 64) and older adults (65 and over)
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria for Surveillance/Screening: 1. High risk for recurrence HER-2 negative, ER positive invasive breast cancer. For this study, ER positivity is defined as equal to or greater than 10% ER positivity by immunohistochemistry, regardless of progesterone receptor (PR) status. Patients who are PR positive but ER negative are not eligible. 2. Patients may have completed adjuvant endocrine therapy and are within 7 years since the date of their definitive breast surgery, or may be currently taking an aromatase inhibitor, or tamoxifen, as adjuvant endocrine therapy and have completed at least 6 months (i.e. 24 weeks), but no more than 7 years of endocrine therapy. Prior CDK4/6 therapy in the adjuvant setting, including participation in the PALLAS and PENELOPE trials, is allowed if the last treatment was 12 or more months ago. Adjuvant bisphosphonate therapy is allowed 3. High risk for recurrence is defined as any one of the following (these criteria apply equally to both patients who underwent surgery first and those who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy or endocrine therapy before surgery). (i) Four or more involved ipsilateral axillary lymph nodes or positive ipsilateral supraclavicular, or ipsilateral infraclavicular, or internal mammary lymph nodes at diagnosis or after preoperative systemic therapy, regardless of tumour size. Microscopic positive lymph node (i.e. \<2 mm tumor deposit) is not counted as positive for eligibility for patients who underwent surgery first without any preoperative systemic therapy. Microscopic positive lymph nodes (i.e. \<2 mm tumor deposit) are considered as positive nodes for eligibility for patients who received preoperative systemic therapy. (ii) Tumor size \>5 cm and at least one macroscopically positive lymph node (i.e. \>2 mm tumor deposit). (iii) Diagnosis of Inflammatory Breast Cancer. 4. Formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissue from the primary breast cancer available to be sent to Natera to perform ctDNA testing. 5. Signed and dated informed consent, including willingness to be randomized to standard of care versus fulvestrant + palbociclib. Exclusion Criteria for Screening 1. Prior or current treatment with fulvestrant, or current treatment with a CDK4/6 inhibitor, or treatment in the prior 12 months. 2. Patients cannot start participation in another therapeutic clinical trial for breast cancer during participation in this trial unless disease progression occurred, or patient withdrew consent for participation in the current trial. 3. Patients with current or past invasive cancer, other than breast cancer are not eligible, except: Adequately treated basal or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin and cancer survivors of previously diagnosed invasive cancer, who were treated with a curative intent, have no evidence of disease recurrence for 5 years or more, and are considered low risk for future recurrence by the treating physician are also eligible. 4. Patients with a second HER2 positive or triple negative synchronous breast cancer. Inclusion criteria for randomization 1. ctDNA positivity by the Signatera assay, defined as 2 of the 16 cancer specific markers positive in plasma. 2. Patients with positive Signatera results obtained in the context of commercial testing, outside of the screening phase of this trial, are also eligible for randomization if they meet other eligibility criteria. 3. No evidence of metastatic disease on CT scan of the chest, abdomen and pelvis. 1. If imaging, after review with a radiologist, is low probability for metastatic disease, patients may proceed to randomization. 2. Patients with suspicious but inconclusive imaging results should undergo a diagnostic biopsy, if biopsy is negative patients are eligible for randomization. 3. Patients with positive imaging that is conclusive of metastatic disease, or with biopsy proven metastatic disease, are not eligible for randomization. 4. Pre-menopausal women and male patients must be willing to use an adequate method of contraception for the duration of trial treatment and for 4 additional weeks after completion of treatment in the control arm, and for 2 years after the last dose of fulvestrant, if randomized into the experimental arm Post- menopausal status is defined as: 1. Documented bilateral oophorectomy, or 2. Age ≥ 60 years, or 3. Age \< 60 years and amenorrhoeic for ≥ 12 consecutive months and FSH and estradiol levels in the post-menopausal range according to the institutional reference range for post- menopausal. Adequate contraception is defined as: 4. ONE highly effective form (i.e. abstinence, surgical sterilization through bilateral tubal ligation, vasectomy), or 5. TWO effective forms (e.g. non-hormonal IUD and condom / occlusive cap with spermicidal foam / gel / film / cream / suppository). 6. Abstinence is to be interpreted as "true abstinence" for heterosexual intercourse and therefore, "periodic abstinence" (e.g. calendar, symptothermal, post-ovulation methods) and withdrawal (coitus interruptus) are not considered highly effective. Exclusion criteria for randomization 1. Patients with known contraindications to receive fulvestrant and palbociclib or those who are unable to tolerate these drugs are not eligible (e.g. absolute neutrophil count less than \<1000/mm3) 2. Any concurrent severe and uncontrolled medical condition that would, in the Investigator' opinion cause unacceptable safety risks or compromise compliance with the protocol including but not limited to: 1. Impairment of gastrointestinal (GI) function or GI disease that may significantly alter the absorption of oral medication (e.g. Crohn's disease, ulcerative diseases, uncontrolled chronic nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, malabsorption syndrome, or small bowel resection) 2. History of pneumonitis, interstitial lung disease or pulmonary fibrosis 3. Known history of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) (testing is not mandatory) 4. Known active Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C (testing is not mandatory) 5. Females who are pregnant or breastfeeding 6. History of bleeding diathesis (i.e. disseminated intravascular coagulation, clotting factor deficiency) that preclude the IM injections of fulvestrant or LHRH agonist as applicable. 3. Patients taking any CYPC3A4 strong inducers and inhibitors, that cannot be changed.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Cancer Partners of Nebraska
Lincoln, Nebraska, 68516, United States
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Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Los Angeles, California, 90048, United States
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Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, New York, 10029, United States
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Intermountain
Golden, Colorado, 80401, United States
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Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center- New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana, 70112, United States
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New Mexico Cancer Care Alliance
Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87131, United States
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Oregon Health and Science University
Portland, Oregon, 97239, United States
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PRiSMs Group
Laredo, Texas, 78041, United States
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Stephenson Cancer Center
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 73104, United States
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Stony Brook University Cancer Center
Stony Brook, New York, 11794, United States
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Swedish Cancer Institute
Seattle, Washington, 98104, United States
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The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center James Cancer Hospital
Columbus, Ohio, 43210, United States
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USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center
Los Angeles, California, 90033, United States
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University of Arizona Cancer Center
Tucson, Arizona, 85724, United States
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University of Colorado Cancer Center
Aurora, Colorado, 80045, United States
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University of Wisconsin Clinical Science Center
Madison, Wisconsin, 53792, United States
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Virginia Cancer Institute
Richmond, Virginia, 23229, United States
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Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University
Atlanta, Georgia, 30322, United States
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Yale Cancer Center
New Haven, Connecticut, 06510, United States
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