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Functional Precision Oncology to Predict, Prevent, and Treat Early Metastatic Recurrence of Stage I-III Triple Negative and Hormone Receptor Low/HER2 Negative Breast Cancer, the TOWARDS-II Study

Trial Status: active

This phase II trial tests functional precision oncology to predict, prevent, and treat patients with stage I-III triple negative breast cancer and hormone receptor low/HER2 negative breast cancer. Triple negative breast cancer patients with residual disease after chemotherapy before surgery (neoadjuvant) are most likely to an early incidence of the cancer coming back and spreading to other parts of the body (early metastatic recurrence). Predictions of recurrence based on response to neoadjuvant therapy; however, are inaccurate and successful therapies to decrease the risk have not been established. To improve outcomes while avoiding overtreatment, strategies to accurately identify which patients will recur and therapies that will be effective are needed. Precision medicine uses genetic information from the DNA of a person’s tumor to help guide the choice of treatment. In this trial, functional precision oncology involves collecting tumor cells from breast cancer and growing them in mice as xenografts. It also involves using tumor cells in what are called “organoids” which are small, live versions of a patient’s cancer. These organoids grow in three-dimensional gels. Both xenografts and organoids keep many of the characteristics of the cancer where they came from, including its genetic composition. Because xenografts and organoids are very similar to a patient’s cancer, a process has been developed to evaluate how effective various drugs may be in treating their cancer. Exposing (screening) the models to multiple cancer drugs can give an estimate of which drugs will work well and which ones will not. This study may help determine which treatments work the best against breast cancer and which treatments may not work as well, helping guide providers in choosing a treatment plan.