Breast Cancer Clinical Research at City of Hope

April 10, 2025

This page was reviewed under our medical and editorial policy by Susan Yost, Ph.D., staff scientist, Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research, and Emma Wolfe, M.P.H., C.H.E.S., senior health education specialist, City of Hope® Cancer Center Duarte

At City of Hope, breast cancer clinicians and researchers collaborate extensively to develop and evaluate new therapies for better survival and quality-of-life outcomes.

Breast Cancer Research Projects

Some of our past and current research projects include:

  • Using single-cell RNA sequencing to identify resistant traits that breast cancer cells acquire
  • Evaluating whether taking estrogen reduces breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women who had a hysterectomy
  • Testing for genetic mutations in breast cancer patients to better screen underrepresented groups for this disease in the future
  • Evaluating the impact of breast cancer on women, their partners and their caregivers

Breast Cancer Clinical Trials

City of Hope patients have access to a wide variety of clinical trials including new chemotherapy and targeted therapies, hormone therapies, novel surgical techniques, innovative radiation approaches and new prevention strategies.

HER2+ Breast Cancer

NCT05376878: This pilot study is evaluating 64Cu-DOTA-Trastuzumab PET/MRI in imaging patients who have HER2 positive breast cancer and brain metastasis. The aim is to determine whether cancer in the brain takes up trastuzumab, which may help predict a response to trastuzumab deruxtecan, which is the standard of care chemotherapy.

Patient Enrollment Qualifications

  • Women age 18 years or older with documented metastatic HER2 positive breast cancer with brain metastasis
  • Have planned therapy with fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan (Enhertu)
  • Provide documented informed consent or have a legally authorized representative provide it

Learn more about this promising study

Estrogen Receptor Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer

NCT06260033: This Phase 2 study will evaluate the potential benefits of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and fluoroestradiol PET (FES PET) scan in patients with patients who have estrogen receptor positive (ER+) metastatic breast cancer that has limited disease progression (oligoprogression).

Patient Enrollment Qualifications

  • Women 18 years and older with histologically confirmed ER+ metastatic breast cancer
  • Have metastatic breast cancer with progression in one to four lesions (including new lesions)
  • The ability to understand English or Spanish to complete questionnaires

Learn more about this promising study

Breast Cancer Clinical Study

This early feasibility study will evaluate dual-mode photoacoustic computerized tomography (DM-PACT), a new non-invasive imaging system developed by the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) for breast imaging.

Patient Enrollment Qualifications

  • Age 18 or older who will be treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy prior to surgery
  • Willingness to undergo three imaging visits at Caltech or City of Hope during treatment
  • Willingness to provide blood samples during treatment

Learn more about this promising study by emailing principal investigator Lily Lai, M.D., at [email protected].

 

City of Hope’s clinical trials give current patients access to promising, leading-edge therapies and improve overall care for future patients worldwide. Visit our clinical trials page to learn more about current studies and their eligibility criteria.

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