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NCT Number: NCT05959291

Discontinuation of Maintenance HER-2 Directed Therapy in Long-Term Survivors of Metastatic HER-2 Positive Breast Cancer

The purpose of this preliminary research study is to see if patients discontinuing maintenance Herceptin and/or other anti-HER-2 treatments with monitoring in addition to radiologic imaging and routine blood work will stay in complete radiological remission and to determine how long patients are able to stay in complete radiological remission without treatment.

Recruiting

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Key information

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University of Miami

Miami, Florida, 33136, United States

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Elisa Krill Jackson, MD

CONTACT

[email protected]

305-689-6500

Elisa Krill Jackson, MD

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Patients with a diagnosis of HER-2 positive metastatic (Stage IV) breast cancer.
  • Patients in complete radiological remission (CRR), including a stable bone scan, as determined by computed tomography (CT), positron-emission tomography (PET), or PET-CT.

a. Patients with brain metastasis are allowed to participate as long as their disease has been treated and radiologically stable for at least 36 months.

  • Patients must be on the same or current anti-HER-2 directed therapy for at least 36 months.
  • Archived tumor biopsy available.
  • Patients with no evidence of circulating tumor deoxyribonucleic acid (ctDNA) as determined by the Signatera assay.
  • Patients willing to stop maintenance anti-HER-2 directed therapy with close monitoring.
  • Patients with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance score from 0 to 2.
  • Patients ≥ 18 years of age.
  • Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document.

Exclusion criteria

  • Patients with uncontrolled metastatic disease.
  • Patients whose disease has been controlled for less than 36 months on the same or current anti-HER-2 therapy.
  • Patients who are currently receiving or have received treatment for a secondary cancer other than resected non-melanoma skin cancer lesions or in situ cancer within the past 24 months.
  • Patients positive for ctDNA (which occurs when a patient's blood sample contains ≥2 target markers) with the Signatera assay.
  • Use of investigational drugs ≤ 28 days prior to study enrollment and during the study.
  • History or current evidence of any condition, therapy, or laboratory abnormality that might confound the results of the trial, interfere with the patient's participation for the full duration of the trial, or that makes participation in the trial to be not in the best interest of the patient in the opinion of the Investigator.
  • Patients with impaired decision-making capacity.

Patients who are found to be ctDNA+ at study entry will be recorded as a screen failure (Section 5.4). Their Signatera testing results will be provided to their treating physician to aid in clinical decision-making for disease management and treatment.

Treatment and study plan

Discontinuation of Anti-HER-2 Maintenance Treatment

Other

Patients assigned to this group will be asked to discontinue anti-HER-2 maintenance treatment.

Primary outcomes

  1. Feasibility of maintaining remission after discontinuing use of anti-HER-2

    Time frame: Up to 72 months

    The feasibility of maintaining remission of HER-2 will be measured as the proportion of patients who discontinue anti-HER-2 therapy and who remain in remission is assessed by monitoring ctDNA in the blood.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Ability of re-attain remission after ctDNA+ status

    Time frame: Up to 72 months

    Ability to re-attain remission after ctDNA+ status is defined as returning to ctDNA- status within 6 months after testing ctDNA+ during the study. This is assessed by the monitoring of ctDNA in the blood of participants that have tested ctDNA positive after stopping anti-HER-2 maintenance therapy and chose to restart anti-HER-2 therapy.

  2. Duration of response (DOR)

    Time frame: Up to 72 months

    The duration of response (DOR) in study participants that have restarted anti-HER-2 therapy measures the time from is ctDNA+ status to overall response rate (ORR). This includes study participants that have ctDNA+ status and have chosen to either restart their previous anti-HER-2 maintenance therapy or have started a new anti-HER-2 therapy. The ORR is determined by blood and imaging monitoring.

  3. Diagnostic Accuracy of ctDNA Monitoring Assay to Identify Disease Progression

    Time frame: Up to 72 months

    Diagnostic accuracy is evaluated by comparing disease relapse and/or progression confirmed by imaging compared to study participants ctDNA status.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Elisa Krill Jackson, MD

CONTACT

[email protected]

305-689-6500

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Miami

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Free-HER: Discontinuation of Maintenance HER-2 Directed Therapy in Long-Term Survivors of Metastatic HER-2 Positive Breast Cancer

Acronym: Free-HER

Important dates

Study start
2023
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2029
First posted
Jul 25, 2023
Registry last updated
Aug 13, 2025

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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