Help researchers trial a new blood test that could detect secondary cancer early
ER+ | HER2- | Hormone therapy
Help researchers who are hoping to see if a blood test can detect breast cancer recurrence early by looking for cancer DNA in the blood. The study's full title is 'TRAK-ER: A clinical trial to detect and treat molecular relapse of breast cancer'.
What's the study about?
TRAK-ER is a clinical trial is looking to see if a new blood test could help identify patients who are at a higher risk of their cancer returning. This works by looking for cancer DNA in the blood, which sometimes can be detected several months to years before secondary can be seen on a scan.
The researchers are also testing whether treatment with palbociclib and fulvestrant is more effective at preventing cancer recurrence than standard hormone therapies for who have had oestrogen receptor positive and HER2 negative breast cancer (ER+ HER2- breast cancer).
Who’s organising it?
Name of project lead: Professor Nick Turner
Organisation: The Royal Marsden Hospital
Who can take part?
Please read the website for full details on the study to see if it's right for you.
You can take part if:
- You've had oestrogen receptor positive and HER2 negative breast cancer (ER+ HER2- breast cancer)
- You've previously undergone surgery to remove the tumour in the breast.
- You're taking hormone therapy to reduce the risk of the cancer coming back.
Why do you want me to be involved?
By taking part, you could help research determine whether, by picking up signs of future cancer recurrence very early, they can more effectively treat the cancer, and perhaps prevent the recurrence from happening in some people.
What will you ask me to do?
In the study, you'll have your blood tested every three months for three years. This is to look for cancer DNA to see if it's come back. If cancer DNA is detected, you'll have a scan to see if the cancer has come back. If no evidence of cancer is seen on the scan, you'll enter the treatment part of the study.
In the treatment part of the study, you'll either continue to receive standard hormone therapies, or you'll receive a combination of two drugs called pablociclib and fulvestrant. The researchers will then look to see if patients treated with palbociclib and fulvestrant are less likely to have a recurrence compared to people receiving standard hormone therapies.
How do I get involved?
If you're interested in taking part, you should ask your oncologist to make a referral to one of the cancer centres that is running TRAK-ER.
You can find out more about the study on the website.
When's the deadline?
There is no current deadline for this survey. It's ongoing.
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