Refining Local-Regional Therapy for Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC)
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Summary
This Feasibility study is trying to determine: * If Lymphoscintigraphy (imaging of the lymphatic drainage patterns) is effective in demonstrating the drainage to the sentinel lymph nodes in patients with inflammatory breast cancer. * The likelihood of identifying the sentinel lymph nodes in the operating room, using both blue dye and the radioactive substance used for lymphoscintigraphy. * The incidence of lymphedema (arm swelling which occurs after lymph node surgery) in women with inflammatory breast cancer * Outcomes for women with inflammatory breast cancer, whether or not the sentinel lymph nodes can be identified.
Description
This research study is a Feasibility Study, which means the investigators are collecting information from a relatively small group of patients to determine if the sentinel lymph node procedure identifies the first nodes that drain the breast in patients with inflammatory breast cancer. The sentinel node procedure is a standard method to evaluate whether breast cancer has spread to the axillary lymph nodes (lymph nodes under the arm) or remains in the lymph nodes under the arm after chemotherapy in non-inflammatory breast cancer. "Standard" means that sentinel lymph node biopsy is accepted by…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18+ years
- Sex
- Female
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * Stage III IBC (cT4d cN0-2). Inflammatory breast cancer is defined as the following constellation of symptoms (all of the following must be met): * Rapid onset symptoms (6 months or less from time of diagnosis) * Breast erythema, edema and/or peau d'orange and/or warm breast with or without an underlying palpable mass * Erythema occupying at least one-third of the breast * Pathologic confirmation (biopsy-proven) invasive breast carcinoma * Women age ≥18 years * ECOG performance status ≤2 * Ability to understand and willingness to sign informed consent document an…
Interventions
- ProcedureLymphoscintigraphy
An imaging procedure using an injected radioactive substance or dye to identify lymph drainage A doctor reviews the images to identify the sentinel lymph nodes based on where the dye goes to first.
Location
- Dana Farber Cancer InstituteBoston, Massachusetts