Imipramine before Surgery in Treating Patients with Previously Untreated Invasive Breast Cancer

Inclusion Criteria

• Patients or their legally authorized representative must be informed of the investigational nature of this study and must sign and give written informed consent in accordance with institutional and federal guidelines
• Previously untreated invasive breast cancer determined by a core needle biopsy
• A prior, unrelated, breast cancer is allowed
• All breast cancers with possibility for surgical excision will be included
• Patient must be able to take oral medications; patients may not have any impairment of gastrointestinal function or gastrointestinal disease that may significantly alter the absorption of the study drug
• Females of childbearing potential must have a negative serum or urine beta human chorionic gonadotropin (B-hCG) pregnancy test result within 14 days prior to the first dose of imipramine
• Patients must be eligible for surgical resection of their breast cancer or repeat biopsy after completing treatment
• Patients must have a complete history and physical examination within 30 days prior to registration
• Patients must have a performance status of Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) 0, 1, or 2
• Tissue block of initial biopsy specimen is available
• Patient may not be concurrently enrolled in another investigational drug treatment study
• Consented for tissue collection on Mays Cancer Center repository 07-32

Exclusion Criteria

• Known diagnosis of bipolar depression or psychosis
• ECOG 3 or 4
• Patients planned for pre-operative chemotherapy or those with known metastatic breast cancer
• Renal impairment defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate (EGFR) < 30
• Hepatic impairment as judged by clinical investigator or bilirubin > 2
• As judged by the investigator, severe uncontrolled concurrent medical conditions, psychiatric illness or social condition that would limit compliance with study requirements
• History of cardiac disease (arrhythmia, conduction abnormality, congenital prolonged QT syndrome, or prolonged corrected QT [QTc] rhythm noted during initial electrocardiogram [EKG] > 480 ms)
• Current use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI), monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor, tramadol or trazadone; or use of these agents within 14 days
• Inflammatory breast cancer
• Suicidal ideation or history of suicide attempt
• Myocardial infarction within 3 months of study initiation
• Patients with angle-closure glaucoma
• Pregnant or breast-feeding women; as there have been no well-controlled studies conducted with pregnant women to determine the effect of imipramine on the fetus; however, there have been clinical reports of congenital malformations associated with the use of the drug