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RecruitingNCT04428528Updated Dec 13, 2023

Photoacoustic Imaging for Characterizing Breast Masses and Breast Tumor Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

An observational study in Breast Cancer, sponsored by Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. Recruiting at 1 site in Canada. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2023-12-13.

Sponsored by Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre · Observational

From the registry’s dates

  • Primary completion was expected by Feb 2025, 1 year 8 months ago, but the record still lists the study as recruiting.
  • Started Feb 2017; still recruiting 9 years 8 months later.
Study type
Observational
Model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
100
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Our objective in this pilot study will be to identify PA parameters that can distinguish benign vs. malignant lesions, and also, if PA parameters change with within breast tumors during chemotherapy treatment over time.

Read the detailed description

This study will investigate photoacoustic tissue characteristics of breast lesions both at diagnosis, and within a separate subgroup of patients, physiological changes in breast tumors during neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). Our objective in this pilot study will be to identify PA parameters that can distinguish benign vs. malignant lesions, and also, if PA parameters change with within breast tumors during chemotherapy treatment over time. Our hope is to use this information to correlate with pathological response.

02

Conditions studied

  • Breast Cancer

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Keywords

  • chemotherapy
  • photoacoustic imaging
03

In context

Breast Neoplasms

12,815 studies on the registry are indexed under Breast Neoplasms; 2,920 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 100 is below the median of 184 across 2,711 observational studies indexed under Breast Neoplasms.

Browse Breast Neoplasms studies →

Lead sponsor

Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre is the lead sponsor of 582 studies on the registry; 133 are open to participants now.

Of its 6 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 2 (33%) have results posted.

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

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
Child (0–17), Adult (18–64), Older adult (65+)
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No
Sampling method
Non-probability sample

Study population

Cohort 1 - Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Monitoring:

Men and women with either a biopsy confirmed diagnosis of breast cancer and receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Cohort 2 - Breast Mass Characterization:

Men and women suspected of having a mammary, benign or malignant mass and are schedule to undergo diagnostic and clinical work-up.

Eligibility criteria

Cohort 1 - Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Monitoring:

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Subjects must give appropriate written informed consent prior to participation in the study;
  • Subjects must be able and willing to comply with the safety procedures during the Scanning Period;
  • Subjects must be men and women of between 20 to 80 years of age, inclusive, on the day the Informed Consent Form is signed;
  • Subjects must be receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy for locally-advanced breast cancer.
  • Biopsy-confirmed diagnosis of locally advanced breast cancer; of all molecular subtypes (ER+/-, PR+/-, HER2+/-).

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Subjects with a past medical history of abnormalities, significant injury, or medical or surgical procedures (e.g. Silicone/saline implants) involving either breast, exclusive of the lesion at issue;
  • Subjects with any dermatologic abnormalities (including tattoos, open sores, or breached skin) involving either breast;
  • Subjects with a current or past medical history of connective tissue disease;
  • Subjects who are pregnant or lactating;
  • Subjects with an implanted electronic device such as a cardiac pacemaker, defibrillator, or neurological stimulator;
  • Subjects with a history or expectation of significant anxiety associated with undergoing diagnostic evaluations;
  • Subjects with a history of musculoskeletal disease which may predispose them to discomfort during the Scanning Period;
  • Subjects with a known sensitivity to low-power infrared radiation (e.g., as a result of a dermatologic condition); and
  • Subjects, who, in the opinion of the investigator or clinical research coordinator, may not otherwise be appropriate for inclusion into the study.

Cohort 2 - Breast Mass Characterization:

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Subjects must give appropriate written informed consent prior to participation in the study;
  • Subjects must be able and willing to comply with the safety procedures during the Scanning Period;
  • Subjects must be men and women of between 20 to 80 years of age, inclusive, on the day the Informed Consent Form is signed;
  • Subjects must be referred to breast diagnostic clinic for investigation of a breast mass.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Subjects with a past medical history of abnormalities, significant injury, or medical or surgical procedures (e.g.,silicone/saline implants) involving either breast, exclusive of the lesion at issue;
  • Subjects with any dermatologic abnormalities (including tattoos, open sores, or breached skin) involving either breast;
  • Subjects with a current or past medical history of connective tissue disease;
  • Subjects who are pregnant or lactating;
  • Subjects with an implanted electronic device such as a cardiac pacemaker, defibrillator, or neurological stimulator;
  • Subjects with a history or expectation of significant anxiety associated with undergoing diagnostic evaluations;
  • Subjects with a history of musculoskeletal disease which may predispose them to discomfort during the Scanning Period;
  • Subjects with a known sensitivity to low-power infrared radiation (e.g., as a result of a dermatologic condition); and
  • Subjects, who, in the opinion of the investigator or clinical research coordinator, may not otherwise be appropriate for inclusion into the study.
05

Study design

Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
100 participants (estimated)
Patient registry
No

Groups and cohorts

  • Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Monitoring

    The first arm Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Monitoring will investigate changes of measured photoacoustic markers and compare to these to histopathological indicators of breast tumor response to NAC. Changes in photoacoustic parameters will be made to a pre-treatment point over the course of treatment. Treatment will not be modified on the basis of our observations. in this pilot observational study

    Device: Photoacoustics Imaging System

  • Breast Mass Characterization

    The second arm Breast Mass Characterization will investigate if breast masses (benign vs. malignant) can be characterized during clinical diagnostic work-up. Differences in the photoacoustic tissue-properties will be compared to histopathological evaluation.

    Device: Photoacoustics Imaging System

Interventions

  • DevicePhotoacoustics Imaging System

    Characterizing breast masses for photoacoustic markers measurements

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Treatment response correlation between photoacoustic parameters and histopathological measurement.

    The primary study endpoint will investigate changes of measured photoacoustic markers and compare to these to histopathological indicators of breast tumor response to NAC. Changes in photoacoustic parameters (hemoglobin concentration, oxygen saturation, tumor structure) will be made to a pre-treatment point over the course of treatment. Treatment will not be modified on the basis of our observations in this pilot observational study.

    Time frame: 4 to 8 months

Secondary outcomes

  1. Breast mass characterization

    The secondary study endpoint will investigate if breast masses (benign vs. malignant) can be characterized by PA during clinical diagnostic work-up. Differences in the photoacoustic tissue-properties will be compared to histopathological evaluation. No diagnostic information from PA measurements will be used for patient-care/diagnosis as a result of our observations in this pilot observational study

    Time frame: 30 days

07

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
  • Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
    Toronto, Ontario M4N3M5, Canada
    Recruiting
08

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Dec 13, 2023, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT04428528
Responsible party
Dr. Gregory Czarnota (Radiation Oncologist and Clinical Scientist, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre) — Principal investigator
First posted
Jun 11, 2020
Start date
Feb 13, 2017
Primary completion
Feb 13, 2025 (estimated)
Completion
Feb 13, 2029 (estimated)
Last update
Dec 13, 2023

Study contacts

Gregory J Czarnota, PhD, MD
Contact
gregory.czarnota@sunnybrook.ca
(416) 480-6128
Gregory J Czarnota, PhD, MD
principal investigator · Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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