An interventional study of Blood collection for GDF-15 in Breast Cancer, sponsored by Breast Cancer Trials, Australia and New Zealand. Not yet recruiting at 4 sites in 3 countries. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-09-30.
Sponsored by Breast Cancer Trials, Australia and New Zealand · Not applicable, Interventional, and Supportive care
GRADE is trying to find out if there is a link between a hormone called GDF-15 and the side effects that people can experience when taking T-DXd.
GDF-15 can be measured in the blood. GDF-15 levels in the blood will go up when the body is stressed under certain conditions, including breast cancer. There is a link between high GDF-15 levels and the nausea and vomiting experienced with "morning sickness" in pregnancy. It has also been shown that GDF-15 levels will go up with the use of other types of chemotherapy that are known to cause nausea and vomiting.
Side effects such as feeling sick (nausea), vomiting and weight loss are common with T-DXd. Sometimes, these can be so severe that treatment needs to be stopped early. The investigators can't predict who will get bad side effects and who will not.
If the investigators can find out if there is a link between GDF-15 and the side effects of T-DXd, they can use this information in future clinical trials.
Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15), a stress-related hormone also known as macrophage inhibitory cytokine-1 (MIC-1), is a member of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) superfamily. It is not expressed under basal conditions but can be released in response to pro-inflammatory conditions such as obesity, insulin resistance, renal and heart failure, and malignancy.
Pre-clinical studies have established the role of elevated GDF-15 levels in tumour and platinum-based chemotherapy induced emesis and cachexia. It has also been proposed as a biomarker for all-cause mortality, as well as for poor prognoses in patients with cancer.
The hypothesis is that there is a positive correlation between increased levels of GDF-15 and the severity of treatment-related adverse events (particularly nausea, vomiting and cachexia) experienced by patients with breast cancer receiving T-DXd.
The aim of the study is to explore the relationship between relative change in levels of GDF-15 from baseline (pre-treatment) to after receiving T-DXd (post-C2 and at end of treatment) and the severity of treatment-related adverse events experienced by patients with breast cancer receiving T-DXd.
If a positive relationship is found with any or all of these objectives, then monoclonal antibodies inhibiting GDF-15 (such as ponsegromab or visugromab) may present a promising therapeutic and supportive option for patients receiving T-DXd.
14,825 studies on the registry are indexed under Breast Neoplasms; 3,319 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 150 is above the median of 72 across 10,896 interventional studies indexed under Breast Neoplasms.
Browse Breast Neoplasms studies →Breast Cancer Trials, Australia and New Zealand is the lead sponsor of 4 studies on the registry; 2 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
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.
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.
Cancer that has spread from where it began to other parts of the body. “Metastatic” cancer is cancer that has spread this way.
HER2 is a protein, made from the ERBB2 gene, that drives the growth of some cancers. A study may look for a level of the protein, extra copies of the gene, or a particular change in it.
In breast cancer, protein tests are read as HER2-positive, HER2-low or HER2-negative; other cancers use their own rules. Check which test result the study requires.
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.
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.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Metastases
Cancer that has spread from where it began to other parts of the body. “Metastatic” cancer is cancer that has spread this way.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
HER2
HER2 is a protein, made from the ERBB2 gene, that drives the growth of some cancers. A study may look for a level of the protein, extra copies of the gene, or a particular change in it.
In breast cancer, protein tests are read as HER2-positive, HER2-low or HER2-negative; other cancers use their own rules. Check which test result the study requires.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
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.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Blood collection for GDF-15 during T-DXd treatment.
Other: Blood collection for GDF-15
Blood samples of 20-30mL (approximately 1-2 tablespoons in total) will be taken 4 times: * Before first treatment with T-DXd * Two times during treatment (after the first and second doses of T-DXd); and * At the end of T-DXd treatment. At each blood collection, participants will be asked about: * T-DXd side effects * Medications prescribe for T-DXd side effects * Weighed to see if their weight changes during treatment. Personal and health information will also be collected from participants: * Date of birth and age, sex, ethnicity, height, weight, and activity levels. * Details about their cancer: diagnosis, type of cancer, other treatments, and pathology results. * Details about any previous pregnancies: how many, and the severity of any nausea or vomiting experienced during these pregnancies. * Details about their best response to treatment with T-DXd. * Details about the reason they stop T-DXd treatment.
This study also gives Trastuzumab deruxtecan. No intervention listed here names it: that was found by reading the record.
Nausea prior to Cycle 3 of T-DXd, graded according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Advents (CTCAE) v5.0.
To investigate if the percentage change in levels of GDF-15 from baseline to after receiving 2 cycles of T-DXd is associated with moderate/high grade nausea (CTCAE Grade 2-4) experienced at this timepoint by patients with metastatic/advanced unresectable HER2-positive or HER2-low breast cancer.
Time frame: From baseline to after receiving 2 cycles of T-DXd treatment (each cycle is 28 days).
Vomiting prior to Cycle 3 of T-DXd, graded as per CTCAE v5.0.
To investigate if the percentage change in levels of GDF-15 from baseline to after receiving 2 cycles of T-DXd is associated with moderate/high grade vomiting (CTCAE Grade 2-4) experienced by patients at this timepoint.
Time frame: From baseline to after receiving 2 cycles of T-DXd treatment (each cycle is 28 days).
Weight loss (cachexia) prior to Cycle 3 of T-DXd, graded as per CTCAE v5.0.
To investigate if the percentage change in levels of GDF-15 from baseline to after receiving 2 cycles of T-DXd is associated with moderate/high grade cachexia (CTCAE Grade 2-4) experienced by patients at this timepoint.
Time frame: From baseline to after receiving 2 cycles of T-DXd treatment (each cycle is 28 days).
Percentage change in GDF-15 and its correlation with treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs)
To explore the correlation of the percentage change in levels of GDF-15 with the treatment-related adverse events (CTCAE Grade 2-4). Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) are adverse events classified as possibly, probably or definitely related to T-DXd treatment. TRAEs will be graded as per CTCAE v5.0.
Time frame: From baseline to after receiving 2 cycles of T-DXd treatment (each cycle is 28 days).
Progression-free survival (PFS)
To explore the relationship between baseline levels of GDF-15 and progression-free survival (PFS) on T-DXd
Time frame: Time from treatment start with T-DXd to the first occurrence of disease progression or death due to any cause, whichever came first, assessed up to 6 months.
Time to treatment failure (TTF)
To explore the relationship between baseline levels of GDF-15 and time to treatment failure (TTF) on T-DXd.
Time frame: Time from treatment start with T-DXd to discontinuation of treatment for any reason, including disease progression, treatment toxicity, and death, whichever came first, assessed up to 6 months.
HER2 copy number
To explore the relationship between HER2 copy number and change in levels of GDF-15. HER2 copy number determined by in-situ hybridization (ISH) on most recent available histopathology specimen or tumour/plasma genomic data (DNA/RNA), preferably in the metastatic setting
Time frame: Prior to treatment commencement.
Exploratory: Association of baseline levels of GDF-15 with Treatment Related Adverse Events (TRAEs).
To explore if baseline levels of GDF-15 are associated with the incidence and severity of TRAEs experienced by patients on T-DXd, graded as per CTCAE v5.0.
Time frame: TRAEs occurring after Cycle 2, after Cycle 3 and within 30 days of end of treatment with T-DXd (each cycle is 28 days).
Exploratory: Longitudinal change in weight after 2 cycles of T-DXd
To explore if the longitudinal change in levels of GDF-15 from baseline to after receiving 2 cycles of T-DXd is associated with trends in weight change. Weight change is measured as a percentage of baseline weight. End-of-treatment is defined as cessation of treatment due to disease progression or treatment toxicity.
Time frame: After receiving 2 cycles of T-DXd (each cycle is 28 days).
Exploratory: Longitudinal change in weight at end-of-treatment
To explore if the longitudinal change in levels of GDF-15 from baseline at end-of-treatment with T-DXd is associated with trends in weight change. Weight change is measured as a percentage of baseline weight.
Time frame: At end-of-treatment with T-DXd; end-of-treatment is defined as cessation of treatment due to disease progression or treatment toxicity, whichever came first, assessed up to 6 months.
Plan to share: Yes — Anonymised Individual Patient Data (IPD) collected during the trial.
Supporting information: Study protocol, Analytic code
Time frame: Data will be made available for request after publication of the main/final study results; no end date.
Access criteria: Researchers who submit a research proposal and BCT Data Request Application, which is assessed by BCT to have appropriate scientific value. Applications will be subject to approval by Breast Cancer Trials concept@bctrials.org.au (refer to BCT Data Sharing Guidelines).
Start is estimated for Oct 2026; primary completion for Oct 2028, 24 months later.
Of 2,661 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Breast Neoplasms, half reached primary completion within 33 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 16 and three quarters within 66. This study's planned 24 months is below that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 2,771 studies reached it within 33 months; a quarter within 15 and three quarters within 66.
Since we started tracking on Sep 25, 2026, the dates moved once, on Sep 30, 2026: start Mar 2026 → Oct 2026, primary completion Mar 2028 → Oct 2028 and completion Sep 2028 → Oct 2028.
Earlier changes are on the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Sep 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Breast Cancer Trials, Australia and New Zealand