Could a gentle brain zap help breast cancer survivors think clearly again?
NCT ID NCT02726763
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This pilot study tests whether a non-invasive brain stimulation technique called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), combined with cognitive training, is feasible and tolerable for breast cancer survivors who have memory or thinking problems after chemotherapy. The study will enroll 18 survivors aged 40-65 who completed treatment at least six months ago. The goal is to see if this approach is practical and well-tolerated, not yet to measure effectiveness.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) device
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a non-drug way to help memory problems in breast cancer survivors after chemotherapy.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small pilot study with only 18 people, so it can't prove effectiveness. It only checks if the approach is practical and tolerable.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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18 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Mar 2016
- Expected to finish
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Mar 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
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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40 to 65 years
- Sex
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Female participants only
- 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: * Breast cancer survivors treated with chemotherapy between 40 and 65 years of age with no evidence of disease with treatment completed at least six months prior to study participation with or without current endocrine therapy. * Self-reported new onset since initiation of treatment cognitive dysfunction as determined by telephone screen using the brief (3 questions) assessment established by Ercoli et al. \[3\] (endorsement on all three questions): 1. Do you think or feel that your memory or mental ability has gotten worse since you completed your breast cancer treatment? 2. Do you think that your mind isn't as sharp now as it was before your breast cancer treatments? 3. Do you feel like these problems have made it harder to function on your job or take care of things around the home? * In the judgment of the investigators and/or consenting professional, able to read and comprehend English * In the judgment of the consenting professional cognitively able to provide informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Patients with prior history of primary Central Nervous System (CNS) cancer or CNS metastases * As per self report and/or medical record history of diagnosed neurological illness including seizure disorder, a dementing condition, or other neurological illness (multiple sclerosis, history of cerebrovascular accident, etc.) * Participants with untreated depression or anxiety as assessed by self-report and review of medical history; * Participants with a history of treated or untreated schizophrenia or bipolar disorder as assessed by self report and review of medical history; * As per self report participants who are pregnant or who are breastfeeding * As per self report participants with pacemakers, intracranial electrodes, implanted defibrillators or any other prosthesis.
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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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Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, New York, 10065, United States
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