ClinicalTrials.gg
Active, not recruitingNCT02750826Updated Sep 2, 2026

Breast Cancer WEight Loss Study (BWEL Study)

A Phase 3 interventional study of Health Education Program and Weight Loss Intervention in Breast Ductal Carcinoma In Situ, Invasive Breast Carcinoma and Stage II Breast Cancer AJCC v6 and v7, sponsored by Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology. Active, not recruiting at 1,498 sites in 4 countries. Open to female participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-09-02.

Sponsored by Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology · Phase 3, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
3,177
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
Female
01

Study summary

This randomized phase III trial compares whether weight loss in overweight and obese women may prevent breast cancer from coming back (recurrence). Previous studies have found that women who are overweight or obese when their breast cancer is found (diagnosed) have a greater risk of their breast cancer recurring, as compared to women who were thinner when their cancer was diagnosed. This study aims to test whether overweight or obese women who take part in a weight loss program after being diagnosed with breast cancer have a lower rate of cancer recurrence as compared to women who do not take part in the weight loss program. This study will help to show whether weight loss programs should be a part of breast cancer treatment.

Read the detailed description

This randomized controlled trial of weight loss interventions in overweight and obese women with early stage breast cancer consists of two arms, please see the arms section for more information. Patients will be randomized 1:1 within stratification factors: menopausal status (premenopausal vs. postmenopausal), hormone receptor status of the tumor (ER and/or PR positive vs. ER and PR negative), and race/ethnicity (African American vs. Hispanic vs. Other). The primary objective of this trial is to compare the effect of the telephone-based intervention versus a health educational control on invasive disease-free survival (IDFS). The total sample size is 3136 patients. Patient follow up for primary and secondary endpoints will continue to a maximum of 10 years, as per the standard protocol for cooperative group adjuvant trials.

The primary and secondary objectives of the study:

Primary objective To compare the effect of a supervised weight loss intervention plus health education materials versus health education materials alone upon invasive disease free survival (IDFS) in overweight (BMI 27-29.9 kg/m2) and obese (BMI ≥30kg/m2) women diagnosed with HER-2 negative, stage II and III breast cancer.

Secondary objectives

  1. To determine the relationship between changes in weight and IDFS, and to explore interaction between the level of clinical benefit from weight loss and the intervention.
  2. To evaluate the effect of a supervised weight loss intervention upon:

    1. Overall survival
    2. Distant disease free survival
    3. Weight
    4. Body composition (as measured by waist and hip circumference)
    5. Insulin Resistance Syndrome associated conditions - diabetes, hospitalization for CV disease
  3. To determine the impact of a supervised weight loss intervention on IDFS within subgroups of women with 1) hormone receptor positive breast cancer and 2) hormone receptor negative breast cancer.
  4. To determine the impact of a supervised weight loss intervention on IDFS within subgroups of 1) premenopausal women and 2) post-menopausal women.

Patients are to be followed every 6 months for the first 3 years after study enrollment and then annually until 10 years from registration. The intervention will last 2 years or until disease recurrence/progression, new invasive primary cancer as defined in the protocol or patient withdrawal.

02

Conditions studied

  • Breast Ductal Carcinoma In Situ
  • Invasive Breast Carcinoma
  • Stage II Breast Cancer AJCC v6 and v7
  • Stage IIB Breast Cancer AJCC v6 and v7
  • Stage IIIA Breast Cancer AJCC v7
  • Stage IIIC Breast Cancer AJCC v7
  • Synchronous Bilateral Breast Carcinoma
03

In context

Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating

285 studies on the registry are indexed under Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating; 54 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 3,177 is above the median of 66 across 207 interventional studies indexed under Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating.

Browse Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating studies →

Lead sponsor

Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology is the lead sponsor of 509 studies on the registry; 28 are open to participants now.

Of its 6 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 6 (100%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
Female
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Eligibility criteria

  1. Documentation of Disease:

    1.1 Subjects must have confirmed invasive breast cancer and registration must occur within 16 months after the first histologic diagnosis of invasive breast cancer.

    • A core interpreted as invasive cancer meets this criterion; if no core biopsy is performed, the date of first histologic diagnosis will be the date of first surgical procedure that identifies invasive cancer (biopsy, lumpectomy or mastectomy).
    • subjects should have no evidence of clinical T4 disease prior to chemotherapy and surgery; eligibility for neoadjuvant patients can be defined by either clinical stage prior to therapy or pathologic stage at surgery; if patient is eligible based on either, they are eligible for the study.
    • Bilateral breast carcinoma is allowed provided either: diagnoses are synchronous - that is, within 3 months of one another - and at least one of the two breast carcinomas meet the eligibility criteria and neither is: Her-2 positive or inflammatory; OR ** The contralateral breast cancer was at least 5 years prior to the current diagnosis * No evidence of or locally recurrent disease

    Her-2 negative, defined as:

    • In-situ hybridization (ISH) ratio of \< 2.0 (if performed)
    • Immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining of 0-2+ (if performed)
    • Deemed to not be a candidate for Her-2 directed therapy.

    Eligible tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) Stages include:

    • Estrogen receptor (ER) and Progesterone receptor (PR) negative (defined as \<1% staining for ER and PR by IHC): T2 or T3 N0, T0-3N1-3. Note: Patients with T1, N1mi disease are NOT eligible.
    • ER and/or PR positive (defined as ≥ 1% staining for ER and/or PR on IHC): T0-3N1-3 or T3N0. Note: Patients with T0N0, T1N0, T2N0 or T1N1mi and T2N1mi disease are NOT eligible.
    • The eligibility of neo-adjuvant subjects can be assessed on the basis of clinical (c)TNM or pathologic (yp)TNM. The same eligible TNM combinations apply; patients may be eligible if they meet eligibility requirements at either time point, as long as they do not have T4 disease prior to therapy.

    1.4 No history of invasive breast cancer in 5 years prior to study registration other than the current diagnosis (prior ductal breast carcinoma in situ [DCIS] at any time does not make a patient ineligible).

    1.5 Patients must have had a bilateral mammogram within 16 months prior to registration, unless the initial surgery was a total mastectomy, in which case only a mammogram of the remaining breast is required. (Subjects with bilateral total mastectomies do not require imaging).

    1.6 Investigations, including chest X-ray or computed tomography (CT) chest, bone scan (with radiographs of suspicious areas) and abdominal ultrasound or liver scan or CT abdomen have been performed between the first histologic diagnosis and the time of registration as detailed below.

    • Chest X-Ray, 2 view (or Chest CT, or positron emission tomography [PET]/CT) is required only if clinically indicated or recommended by National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines
    • Bone scans (with x-rays of abnormal areas) are required only if indicated or recommended by NCCN guidelines.
    • Abdominal imaging is required only if indicated or recommended by NCCN guidelines.
  2. Prior Treatment

    2.1 All adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery completed at least 21 days prior to registration.

    2.2 All triple negative patients must receive chemotherapy of the treating physician's choice.

    2.3 ER/PR+ patients must receive chemotherapy (of the treating physician's choice) unless Oncotype Dx or another genomic predictor score indicates that they are at low or intermediate risk of disease recurrence with endocrine therapy alone.

    2.4 Patients may have breast reconstruction during protocol participation, but definitive breast cancer surgery must be completed at least 21 days prior to registration.

    Concomitant biologic therapy, hormonal therapy, and bisphosphonates are acceptable.

    2.5 Surgical margins must be clear of invasive carcinoma. If there is microscopic residual ductal in situ disease present at lumpectomy or total mastectomy margins, further excision is highly recommended. If further excision is not undertaken, the subject may still be entered on study, provided that in addition to breast or chest wall irradiation, a boost to the tumor bed is delivered. In situ lobular disease at the margin is acceptable.

    2.6 All subjects (both adjuvant and neoadjuvant) must have sentinel lymph node biopsy and/or axillary lymph node dissection as per pre-specified institutional guidelines.

    • All women who undergo breast conserving therapy must receive concomitant radiotherapy. Radiation after mastectomy is to be administered according to prespecified institutional guidelines. Radiation must be completed at least 21 days prior to registration.
    • Patients with hormone receptor positive breast cancer as defined above must plan to receive at least 5 years of adjuvant hormonal therapy in the form of tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor, alone or in combination with ovarian suppression. (NOTE: for patients with ER and PR staining in less than 5% of cells, hormonal therapy for at least 5 years is strongly recommended but not required). Hormonal therapy can be initiated prior to or during protocol therapy.
  3. Participants must be women
  4. Age ≥ 18 years
  5. (ECOG) Performance Status 0 or 1
  6. Comorbid Conditions

6.1 No history of other within the past 4 years, except for malignancies with a >95% likelihood of cure (e.g. non-melanoma skin cancer, papillary thyroid cancer, in situ cervical cancer). Patients cannot have metastatic breast or other cancer.

6.2 No diabetes mellitus currently treated with insulin or sulfonylureas.

6.3 No history of serious digestive and/or absorptive problems, including inflammatory bowel disease and chronic diarrhea that preclude adherence to the study diet.

6.4 No history of severe cardiovascular, respiratory or musculoskeletal disease or joint problems that preclude moderate physical activity. Examples would include unstable angina, recent myocardial infarction, oxygen-dependent pulmonary disease, and osteoarthritis requiring imminent joint replacement. Moderate arthritis that does not preclude physical activity is not a reason for ineligibility.

6.5 No prior bariatric surgery or planning to undergo this procedure within the next 2 years after study registration. • No use of weight loss medications (with the exception of metformin) at the time of study enrollment or plans to take these agents within the next 2 years after study enrollment

6.6 No comorbid conditions that would cause of less than 5 years.

6.7 No history of psychiatric disorders that would preclude participation in the study intervention (e.g. untreated major depression or psychosis, substance abuse, severe personality disorder) or prevent the patient from giving .

  • No chronic (>= 1 month) use of oral at the time of study enrollment; inhaled or topical steroids are acceptable; patients previously taking oral steroids are required to undergo a 30-day prior to registration

7.1 ≥27 kg/m2 documented within 56 days prior to study registration. The most recent BMI obtained must be used for eligibility. If most recent BMI is \<27 then the patient is not eligible to enroll.

7.2 Self-reported ability to walk at least 2 blocks (at any pace).

7.3 Not participating in another weight loss, physical activity or dietary intervention clinical trial. Co-enrollment in some trials involving pharmacologic therapy is allowed. Participants in both arms are also allowed to pursue weight loss and physical activity programs on their own, as long as these programs are not provided as part of a clinical trial.

7.4 Able to read and comprehend English or Spanish. Eligibility is restricted to individuals who can comprehend and read English or Spanish given that participation in the study will require the ability to read lifestyle intervention materials and communicate with a coach through 42 phone calls over 2 years; the trial is unable to accommodate the needs of deaf participants as the study relies on spoken language to provide coaching

Terms in these criteria, in plain language(11)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Histologically or cytologically confirmed

The diagnosis was confirmed by looking at a sample under a microscope: tissue from a biopsy or surgery (histology), or cells from a fluid or needle sample (cytology).

Your pathology report is the document that shows this.

Biopsy and archival tissue

A biopsy takes a small piece of tissue to examine. “Archival tissue” is a sample already taken, for example at diagnosis, and kept by the hospital.

Whether a stored sample will do depends on when it was taken, how much there is and what the study needs. Ask whether the study accepts your stored sample or needs a new biopsy.

Adjuvant and neoadjuvant

Neoadjuvant treatment is given before the main treatment (usually surgery), often to shrink a tumour. Adjuvant treatment is given after it, to lower the chance of the cancer coming back.

Metastases

Cancer that has spread from where it began to other parts of the body. “Metastatic” cancer is cancer that has spread this way.

ECOG performance status

A scale of how much an illness limits everyday activity. For people being assessed to join a study, scores run from 0 (fully active) to 4; lower is more active.

0
Fully active, no restrictions.
1
Limited in strenuous activity, but walking and able to do light work, such as housework or office work.
2
Walking and able to look after yourself, but unable to work; up and about more than half of waking hours.
3
Able to look after yourself only in part; in bed or a chair more than half of waking hours.
4
Unable to look after yourself at all; in bed or a chair all day.

Studies most often ask for 0–1 or 0–2. Your doctor gives the score; the WHO scale uses the same steps. The full scale also has 5, which records death.

Cancer (malignancy)

Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.

Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.

Life expectancy

The study doctor’s estimate of how long someone is likely to live. Criteria use it so that people can stay in the study long enough for it to answer its question.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

Corticosteroids (steroids)

Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.

Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.

Washout period

A planned gap after a treatment, so that its effects can lessen before the study treatment or a study assessment. Ask the study team and the doctor who prescribed it before changing any medicine.

BMI (body mass index)

Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.

What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.

05

Study design

Phase
Phase 3
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
3,177 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Other
    Arm 1: Health Education Program

    Patients will receive a standardized intervention focusing on healthy living. This will include mailings at study entry and one year later describing healthy lifestyle behaviors. All participants will also receive a 2-year subscription to a health magazine. In addition, all study participants will be invited to join twice-yearly Webinars/teleconferences that focus on breast cancer and other health topics, such as treatment updates in breast cancer, management of menopausal side effects, general cancer screening, etc. Finally, the study will also provide birthday and holiday greeting cards and a twice-yearly study newsletter with study updates and other general breast cancer news.

    Other: Health Education Program

  • Other
    Arm 2: Health Education Program + Weight Loss Intervention

    Patients will receive a standardized intervention focusing on healthy living as described in the Arm 1 (Health Education Program). In addition, patients will utilize a standardized, 2-year, telephone-based weight loss intervention. The intervention will include individual weight loss, caloric restriction, and physical activity goals for each participant. It will be administered through semi-structured phone calls delivered by trained coaches at the BWEL call center and supplemented through print and on-line materials. The intervention will utilize a toolbox approach that will allow for tailoring for the individual participant.

    Other: Health Education Program · Other: Weight Loss Intervention

Interventions

  • OtherHealth Education Program
  • OtherWeight Loss Intervention
06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Invasive disease-free survival

    Time frame: Up to 10 years

Secondary outcomes

  1. Overall survival

    Time frame: Up to 10 years

  2. Distant disease-free survival

    Time frame: Up to 10 years

  3. Change in weight (defined as % change)

    Time frame: At baseline, 6, 12, 24 and 60 months

  4. Measures of physical activity (self report and objective)

    Time frame: Up to 10 years

  5. Dietary intake (total calorie consumption)

    Time frame: Up to 10 years

  6. Occurrence of insulin resistance syndrome complications (diabetes, hospitalizations for cardiovascular disease)

    Time frame: Up to 10 years

  7. Changes in biomarker (insulin) associated with breast cancer risk and outcomes

    Time frame: Up to 10 years

  8. Changes in biomarker (glucose) associated with breast cancer risk and outcomes

    Time frame: Up to 10 years

  9. Changes in biomarker (HOMA) associated with breast cancer risk and outcomes

    Time frame: Up to 10 years

  10. Changes in biomarker (leptin) associated with breast cancer risk and outcomes

    Time frame: Up to 10 years

  11. Changes in biomarker (adiponectin) associated with breast cancer risk and outcomes

    Time frame: Up to 10 years

  12. Changes in biomarker (IGF-1) associated with breast cancer risk and outcomes

    Time frame: Up to 10 years

  13. Changes in biomarker (IGFBP3) associated with breast cancer risk and outcomes

    Time frame: Up to 10 years

  14. Changes in biomarker (IL-6) associated with breast cancer risk and outcomes

    Time frame: Up to 10 years

  15. Changes in biomarker (CRP) associated with breast cancer risk and outcomes

    Time frame: Up to 10 years

  16. Changes in biomarker (TNF-a) associated with breast cancer risk and outcomes

    Time frame: Up to 10 years

  17. Patient reported outcomes - physical functioning

    Time frame: Up to 10 years

  18. Patient reported outcomes - fatigue

    Time frame: Up to 10 years

  19. Patient reported outcomes - depression and anxiety

    Time frame: Up to 10 years

  20. Patient reported outcomes - sleep disturbance

    Time frame: Up to 10 years

  21. Patient reported outcomes - incidence of breast cancer treatment related symptoms

    Time frame: Up to 10 years

  22. Patient reported outcomes - body image

    Time frame: Up to 10 years

07

Study locations

1,498 sites

Showing the first 100 of 1,498 sites across 4 countries. Choose a country and city above to see the rest.

08

References and documents

Publications

  • Liu Y, Xu S, Yang H, Wang Y. Multidimensional risk impact of obesity on breast cancer incidence, treatment, and prognosis. Int J Obes (Lond). 2026 Jun;50(6):1190-1198. doi: 10.1038/s41366-025-02008-9. Epub 2026 Jan 12. PubMed 41526462 ↗
  • Ligibel JA, Ballman KV, McCall L, Goodwin PJ, Alfano CM, Bernstein V, Crane TE, Delahanty LM, Frank E, Hahn O, Hershman DL, Hopkins JO, Irwin M, Mayer EL, Minasian L, Nebeling L, Neuhouser ML, Paskett ED, Spears PA, Stearns V, Thomson CA, Weiss A, White J, Wadden TA, Winer EP, Hudis C, Partridge AH, Carey LA. Impact of a Weight Loss Intervention on 1-Year Weight Change in Women With Stage II/III Breast Cancer: Secondary Analysis of the Breast Cancer Weight Loss (BWEL) Trial. JAMA Oncol. 2025 Oct 1;11(10):1194-1203. doi: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2025.2738. PubMed 40839373 ↗
  • Shaikh H, Bradhurst P, Ma LX, Tan SYC, Egger SJ, Vardy JL. Body weight management in overweight and obese breast cancer survivors. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020 Dec 11;12(12):CD012110. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD012110.pub2. PubMed 33305350 ↗
09

Timeline

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
ElapsedEstimatedEstimated, not yet reached

Started Sep 2016 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for May 2030, 164 months after the start.

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Apr 19, 2016
First posted
Apr 26, 2016
StartActual
Sep 16, 2016
Primary completionEst.
May 30, 2030
CompletionEst.
May 30, 2030
Last update
Sep 2, 2026
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Sep 2, 2026, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT02750826
Collaborators
National Cancer Institute (NCI), Division of Cancer Control, NIH Biomarker, Imaging and Quality of Life Studies Funding Program (BIQSFP), Canadian Cancer Trials Group
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Apr 26, 2016
Start date
Sep 16, 2016
Primary completion
May 30, 2030 (estimated)
Completion
May 30, 2030 (estimated)
Last update
Sep 2, 2026

Study contacts

Jennifer Ligibel, MD
study chair · Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is active, not recruiting, as verified in Aug 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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