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NCT Number: NCT03822312

A Pilot Study of Tomographic Optical Breast Imaging (DBT-TOBI) to Monitor Response to Neoadjuvant Therapy

This research study is evaluating whether the use of digital breast tomosynthesis and near-infrared tomographic optical breast imaging (DBT-TOBI) scans can predict the response of triple negative or HER2+ breast cancer to neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

The study radiologic scan involved in this study is digital breast tomosynthesis (also called 3 Dimensional mammogram) combined with near-infrared tomographic optical breast imaging, or DBT-TOBI.

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This study is active but is not currently recruiting participants.

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Key information

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center

Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States

About this study

This research study is a Pilot Study, which is the first time investigators are examining this study device for this indication.

The FDA (the U.S. Food and Drug Administration) has not approved DBT-TOBI as a diagnostic scan for this disease.

The DBT-TOBI scan system is designed to deliver low power laser lights through a person's body tissue and collect data about the light that is transmitted through. In this study, the DBT-TOBI will be used to scan the breast. The data that can be collected through the scan is the total hemoglobin concentration and hemoglobin oxygen saturation. Hemoglobin is the protein found in red blood cells that is responsible for carrying oxygen to the various tissues in the body. These two data types are thought to provide insight into the response of the breast cancer to neoadjuvant chemotherapy treatment response. The researchers are looking to find if these scans will help show changes in the hemoglobin levels, thus showing how the cancer is reacting to treatment. The study is focused on 2 types of breast cancer called triple negative breast cancer and Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER2).

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Female
  • Participant will be receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Center for Breast Cancer.
  • Participants must have measurable disease, defined as at least one lesion that can be accurately measured as ≥10 mm in the longest diameter with breast MRI, mammography or ultrasound. See Section 11 for the evaluation of measurable disease.
  • Patients must have Humane Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (HER2) positive (regardless of Hormone Receptor (HR) status) or Triple Negative (TN) disease as confirmed by pathology. HER2 positive is defined according to ASCO-CAP guidelines, and patient will be receiving HER2 directed therapy. TN is defined as Estrogen Receptor <=1%, Progesterone Receptor <= 1%, and HER2 negative by American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) - College of American Pathologists (CAP) guidelines. For tumors with discordant or borderline receptor findings, the Principal Investigator will adjudicate the final decision.
  • Age 18 and above.
  • Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document

Exclusion criteria

  • Patients with open wounds on the breast.
  • Patients who have undergone breast surgery or breast biopsy 10 days or less prior to the first planned optical imaging scan.
  • Patients with breast implants.
  • Patients whose primary lesion is outside the field of view of the optical imaging system.
  • A history of ipsilateral disease (including invasive breast cancer, ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), and benign lesions) or breast surgery.
  • Patients who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant.
  • Medical or psychiatric conditions which, in the opinion of the investigator, might result in risk to the subject from participation in the study or inability to complete the study.
  • For patients who agree to participate in the optional MRI study, these following additional exclusion criteria also apply:
  • Neurostimulators;
  • Pacemakers;
  • Implanted metallic material or devices (metal implants or large tattoos in the field of view);
  • Severe claustrophobia;
  • Physical characteristics (weight and/or size) that exceed the capabilities of the MRI scanner;
  • Known allergy or hypersensitivity reactions to gadolinium, versetamide, or any of the inert ingredients in gadolinium-based contrast agents;
  • Severe renal insufficiency, e.g., estimated glomerular filtration rate < 30 mL/min.

Treatment and study plan

DBT-TOBI

Device

The DBT-TOBI scan system is designed to deliver low power laser lights through a person's body tissue and collect data about the light that is transmitted through

MRI-TOBI

Device

The MRI-TOBI scan system is designed to deliver low power laser lights through a person's body tissue and collect data about the light that is transmitted through. The MRI scan is completed at the same time as the TOBI scan. Participation in this part of the intervention is optional.

Primary outcomes

  1. Determining whether DBT-TOBI total hemoglobin concentration measurements before cycle 3 of chemotherapy can predict pathological complete response (pCR) versus non-complete responses in breast cancer.

    Time frame: 4 to 6 months

    The primary aim is to evaluate whether early measurements of the total hemoglobin concentration ratio in the primary tumor vs. the surrounding tissue, as estimated by our DBT-TOBI system, can predict neoadjuvant chemotherapy response at the time of surgery. Measurements will be obtained at baseline and just before cycle 3 to determine whether DBT-TOBI is predictive of pathological complete response (pCR) versus non-complete response for Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER2) positive and Triple negative breast cancer patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Determining the predictive performance of early DBT-TOBI scans before the 3rd cycle of chemotherapy in distinguishing pCR versus non-pCR based on changes in tissue hemoglobin oxygen saturation.

    Time frame: 4-6 months

    DBT-TOBI measurements of the changes in the ratio of hemoglobin oxygen saturation in the primary tumor versus surrounding normal area between the pre-treatment baseline and immediately before the 3rd cycle of therapy will be used to predict pathological outcome at surgery. The outcome will be quantified using the area under the curve (AUC) after estimating an empirical receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for predicting pCR vs non-pCR.

  2. Determining whether other optical parameters measured by DBT-TOBI are predictive of the final pathologic response after neoadjuvant therapy.

    Time frame: 4-6 months

    DBT-TOBI will be used to measure changes in the ratio of tumor to normal hemoglobin oxygen saturation ratio (SO2,T/N) between the baseline and prior to cycle 3 scans, as well as changes in the temporal response of total hemoglobin concentration (HbTT/N) or oxygen saturation (SO2,T/N) under constant mammographic compression.

  3. Determining whether DBT-TOBI total hemoglobin concentration measurements before the cycle 2 and after changing chemotherapy can predict pathological complete response (pCR) versus non-complete responses in breast cancer.

    Time frame: 4-6 months

    DBT-TOBI measurements of the changes in the ratio of total hemoglobin concentration in the primary tumor versus surrounding normal area between the pre-treatment baseline and immediately before the 2nd cycle of therapy and immediately before any change in chemotherapy will be used to predict pathological outcome at surgery.

  4. To investigate the ability of DBT-TOBI measurements to predict Residual Cancer Burden (RCB) groups 0 and 1 versus 2 and 3.

    Time frame: 4-6 months

    The various DBT-TOBI measurements (including the changes in the ratio of total hemoglobin concentration or oxygen saturation in the primary tumor versus surrounding normal area) between the pre-treatment baseline and immediately before the 3rd cycle of therapy and immediately before any change in chemotherapy will be used to predict pathological outcome at surgery. For this objective, the Residual Cancer Burden (RCB) categorization will be used and RCB 0/1 will be compared to RCB 2/3.

  5. To investigate whether compression response-based optical property metrics are associated with lesion stiffness as measured by Magnetic Resonance Elastography.

    Time frame: 4-6 months

    The DBT-TOBI measurements under mammographic compression will be used to compare to the the measurements of tumor stiffness by Magnetic Resonance Imaging elastography. These measurements will be made at baseline and before the 3rd cycle of chemotherapy.

  6. To assess the threshold values for detecting pathologic Complete Response (pCR) versus non-PCR and Residual Cancer Burden (RCB) 0/1 versus RCB 2/3, respectively, for changes in optical parameters at standard time points.

    Time frame: 4-6 months

    For this aim, a Receiver Operator Curve (ROC) will be estimated and used to determine the optimum cut-off value of optical parameters measured by DBT-TOBI from baseline to just prior to the 2nd or 3rd therapy cycle of chemotherapy, and from just before any chemotherapy change to just before the 2nd cycle with the second agent (as applicable), that distinguishes pCR from non-pCR and separately for RCB 0/1 from RCB 2/3.

  7. To assess the threshold values for detecting pCR vs. non-PCR and RCB 0/1 versus RCB 2/3, respectively, for changes in MR derived tumor morphology from baseline to just prior the 3rd therapy cycle.

    Time frame: 4-6 months

    For this aim, a Receiver Operator Curve (ROC) will be estimated and used to determine the optimum cut-off value of MR derived tumor morphology from baseline to just prior to the 2nd or 3rd therapy cycle of chemotherapy, and from just before any chemotherapy change to just before the 2nd cycle with the second agent (as applicable), that distinguishes pCR from non-pCR and separately for RCB 0/1 from RCB 2/3.

  8. To compare the predictive abilities between the Receiver Operator Curve (ROC) developed using DBT-TOBI and MR derived tumor morphology measurements to determine which measure more accurately predicts pathologic response.

    Time frame: 4-6 months

    For this aim, the Receiver Operator Curves (ROC) developed in Outcome 7 (using DBT-TOBI optical parameters) and 8 (using MR derived tumor morphology) will be compared and the difference will be used to determine which measure more accurately identifies patients with pCR vs non-PCR and patients with RCB 0/1 versus RCB 2/3.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Massachusetts General Hospital

Other

Collaborators

  • National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Registry information

Official study title

A Pilot Study of Digital Breast Tomosynthesis Guided Near-infrared Tomographic Optical Breast Imaging (DBT-TOBI) in Monitoring Response of Breast Cancer to Neoadjuvant Therapy

Important dates

Study start
2019
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Jan 30, 2019
Registry last updated
Apr 6, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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