An observational study in Breast Cancer, Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) and HER2 + Breast Cancer, sponsored by Federico II University. Not yet recruiting. Open to female participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-06-23.
Sponsored by Federico II University · Observational
The purpose of this non-interventional, observational study is to evaluate the clinical utility of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) utility-specifically how quickly tumor DNA disappears from the bloodstream (ctDNA clearance)-to help monitor and predict treatment responses in patients with breast cancer.
The study focuses on patients diagnosed with Stage II to III HER2-positive or Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) who are scheduled to receive standard neoadjuvant therapy (systemic treatment administered before surgery). Because these breast cancer subtypes involve different standard treatment regimens, the study prospectively stratifies patients into three distinct treatment cohorts (Cohorts A, B, and C) to match routine clinical practice and align blood sampling with meaningful clinical milestones.
1,219 studies on the registry are indexed under Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms; 446 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 186 is close to the median of 193 across 106 observational studies indexed under Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms.
Browse Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms studies →Federico II University is the lead sponsor of 366 studies on the registry; 61 are open to participants now.
Compared within Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms, this study's primary condition as ClinicalTrials.gg classifies it; the registry's first condition term is Breast Neoplasms. The counts are of registry records indexed under each term, refreshed daily. How we classify →
The study population consists of female adult patients with newly diagnosed, histologically confirmed stage II-III HER2-positive or triple-negative breast cancer who are candidates for standard neoadjuvant therapy. Participants are selected and recruited from patients consecutively presenting to the outpatient oncology clinics and multidisciplinary breast cancer units at the University Hospital Federico II (Naples, Italy) and participating clinical centers. The cohort represents a real-world sample of patients undergoing routine clinical workup and standard-of-care neoadjuvant treatment regimens before scheduled surgical intervention.
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:
1. Patients with bilateral invasive BC. 2. Patients with BC (local spread to axillary lymph nodes is permitted (cN1_cN2a).
3. Patients with inflammatory BC. 4. Patients with a known history of liver disease consistent with Class B or C, including hepatitis. 5. Patients with a history of invasive BC, ductal carcinoma in situ or lobular carcinoma in situ, and other within 5 years prior to screening. 6. Patients with a documented history of haemorrhagic diathesis, coagulopathy, or thromboembolism. 7. Patients with known allergy or to any of the study drugs or any of their . 8. Patients with history of non-compliance to medical regimens. 9. Patients refusing to perform liquid and tissue . 10. Patients unwilling to or unable to comply with the protocol. 11. Patients having had major surgery within 14 days prior to screening. 12. Pregnant or lactating females prior to treatment. 13. Patients should be excluded if they have a known history of testing positive for (HIV) or known acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
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.
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 amount of disease can be tracked with a defined measurement, so the study can see whether it shrinks or grows. It might be a tumour measured on a scan or, in some blood cancers such as myeloma, a marker measured in blood or urine.
The criteria or the study team say which measurement counts — having no tumour visible on a scan does not by itself rule you out.
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.
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.
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 that has spread from where it began to other parts of the body. “Metastatic” cancer is cancer that has spread this way.
Judged by the study doctor to matter for your health or for the study. It is a doctor’s decision, so ask the study team if you are unsure whether something counts.
A score of how well the liver works in people with liver disease such as cirrhosis: class A is mild, B moderate and C severe.
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.
An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.
The other ingredients in a medicine besides the active drug, such as fillers, colours or preservatives.
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.
The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.
Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.
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.
Measurable disease
The amount of disease can be tracked with a defined measurement, so the study can see whether it shrinks or grows. It might be a tumour measured on a scan or, in some blood cancers such as myeloma, a marker measured in blood or urine.
The criteria or the study team say which measurement counts — having no tumour visible on a scan does not by itself rule you out.
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.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
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.
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.
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.
Clinically significant
Judged by the study doctor to matter for your health or for the study. It is a doctor’s decision, so ask the study team if you are unsure whether something counts.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Child-Pugh class
A score of how well the liver works in people with liver disease such as cirrhosis: class A is mild, B moderate and C severe.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
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.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Hypersensitivity
An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Excipients
The other ingredients in a medicine besides the active drug, such as fillers, colours or preservatives.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
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.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
HIV
The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.
Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Patients with stage II-III HER2-positive or Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) treated with standard sequential anthracycline-containing regimens
Patients with stage II-III HER2-positive breast cancer receiving a non-anthracycline neoadjuvant regimen based on the TRAIN-2 strategy
Patients with stage II-III HER2-positive breast cancer treated according to a TRYPHAENA-like regimen
Longitudinal assessment of ctDNA clearance (yes/no) across the three study cohorts following the completion of the first neoadjuvant treatment block. Clearance milestones are tailored to specific regimens: pre-anthracycline exposure for Cohort A, after 6
Time frame: At the completion of neoadjuvant therapy Block 1 for each cohort (approximately 6 to 12 weeks from baseline, depending on the specific regimen schedule).
No study locations are listed for this record.
Start is estimated for Jul 2026; primary completion for Oct 2028, 27 months later.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Jun 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms →