Purpose

The purpose of this research is to test whether bacteria that normally live in the intestines play a role in fighting cancer. It is believed that the development and behavior of these immune cells may be influenced by bacteria and other microorganisms living in the gut. In turn, the activities of these immune cells could work with anti-cancer therapies to make them more, or less, effective.

Condition

Eligibility

Eligible Ages
Over 18 Years
Eligible Genders
Female
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No

Inclusion Criteria

  • Diagnosed with invasive breast cancer and prescribed a regimen that includes neo-adjuvant therapy prior to breast surgery. - Able to provide informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria

  • History of previous malignancy, other than non-melanoma skin cancers - Inability to tolerate phlebotomy - Immunosuppressive therapy for any other condition - Fever or active uncontrolled infection in the last 4 weeks - Inflammatory bowel disease - Surgery of the stomach, small or large intestines, appendectomy, gastric bypass or gastric banding in the past 6 months. - Active autoimmune disease, including, but not limited to, Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Multiple sclerosis (MS), ankylosing spondylitis

Study Design

Phase
N/A
Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
N/A
Intervention Model
Single Group Assignment
Primary Purpose
Basic Science
Masking
None (Open Label)

Arm Groups

ArmDescriptionAssigned Intervention
Other
Blood & Fecal Collection
Subjects receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy for advanced breast cancer will be asked to complete questionnaires, provide two blood samples, and provide 2 fecal samples while receiving standard of care neoadjuvant chemotherapy
  • Other: Blood & Fecal Collection
    Prior to first dose of chemotherapy: (a) Blood sample for research; (b) Fecal sample for research using a kit provided by the research staff for home collection of the fecal sample. The kit may be brought back to the clinic or mailed in a discreet package; (c) Questionnaire on health related quality of life. During chemotherapy: Questionnaires on health related quality of life and regarding any treatment side effects. Questionnaires will be completed every 2 weeks during standard office visits. After chemotherapy, prior to surgery: (a) Blood sample for research; (b) Fecal sample for research using a kit provided by the research staff for home collection of the fecal sample. The kit may be brought back to the clinic or mailed in a discreet package.

Recruiting Locations

More Details

NCT ID
NCT02696759
Status
Terminated
Sponsor
University of Arkansas

Detailed Description

Many chemotherapeutic agents compromise the integrity of the mucosal barrier in the gut, allowing translocation of gram-positive bacteria in secondary lymphoid organs. While this has, until recently, been considered an undesirable side-effect, it may also represent one mechanism by which chemotherapy stimulates an effective anti-cancer immune response. The purpose of this research is to test whether bacteria that normally live in the intestines play a role in fighting cancer. It is believed that the development and behavior of these immune cells may be influenced by bacteria and other microorganisms living in the gut. In turn, the activities of these immune cells could work with anti-cancer therapies to make them more, or less, effective. The hypothesis is that gut microbial composition can influence immune response to the tumor, resulting in inter-individual differences in the response to anti-cancer therapies.

Notice

Study information shown on this site is derived from ClinicalTrials.gov (a public registry operated by the National Institutes of Health). The listing of studies provided is not certain to be all studies for which you might be eligible. Furthermore, study eligibility requirements can be difficult to understand and may change over time, so it is wise to speak with your medical care provider and individual research study teams when making decisions related to participation.