Re-expression of ER in Triple Negative Breast Cancers
Status:
Terminated
Trial end date:
2014-01-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Patients are being asked to take part in this study because they have metastatic breast
cancer that is triple negative (does not express estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone
receptor (PR) or HER2). This means that agents such as trastuzumab (Herceptin®) and tamoxifen
are not currently treatment options for their cancer. Another option for treating the
patient's cancer at this point is with chemotherapy. The patient should discuss this and
other options with their doctor prior to entering this study.
Laboratory studies have demonstrated that ER is actually present in some triple negative
breast cancers but is "silenced" (does not function properly) because methyl and histone
groups are attached to it and inactivate it. Special drugs called demethylating inhibitors
(such as decitabine) and histone deacetylase inhibitors (such as LBH589) can remove these
methyl and histone groups and reactivate ER. This reactivated ER can then be targeted with
agents like tamoxifen.
The patient is being asked to join this clinical research study to find out if ER can be
reactivated in their cancer using decitabine in combination with LBH589. If ER is reactivated
in their cancer, we will then determine if tamoxifen can decrease the growth of the cancer.