At a glance
- What the study gets you
- Access to the study treatment being tested
- Type of study
- Interventional (receives a drug or procedure)
- Time in hospital
- In-person visits at study sites — visit count not specified by the sponsor
- Drug or intervention
- Palbociclib 125Mg Tab (drug), Fulvestrant injection (drug), Tamoxifen (drug), Letrozole (drug)
- How long the study runs
- Study runs about 102 months (dates as stated)
- About the drug or intervention
- Palbociclib 125Mg Tab — drug: Palbociclib Tablets, 125 mg orally once daily, beginning on Cycle 1, on Days 1-21 of each 28-day cycle. · Fulvestrant injection — drug: Fulvestrant Intramuscular injections, 500 mg as two injection of 250mg fulvestrant in 5ml solution at each visit. · Tamoxifen — drug: As per clinical guidelines · Letrozole — drug: As per clinical guidelines · Exemestane — drug: As per clinical guidelines · Anastrozole — drug: As per clinical guidelines
- Patient visit burden
- Not specified by the sponsor
In plain English
This trial, run by the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, is for people with hormone-sensitive (ER positive) breast cancer that lacks the HER2 protein and has a high risk of coming back after surgery. It tests whether regular blood tests can spot cancer DNA returning very early, and whether treating this early return with palbociclib plus fulvestrant works better than continuing standard hormone (endocrine) therapy.
Who can take part
- Adults aged 18 or over, male or female, who are well enough for everyday activity (or need some rest during the day)
- ER positive, HER2 negative breast cancer confirmed by laboratory tests
- High risk early stage breast cancer - for example, cancer in 4 or more lymph nodes, a tumour larger than 5 cm, or cancer still in lymph nodes after chemotherapy before surgery
- Already having standard hormone therapy (such as letrozole, anastrozole, exemestane or tamoxifen) for at least 6 months and up to 7 years, with at least 3 more years planned
- No sign that the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, and surgery that removed the cancer with clear margins
- A stored tumour tissue sample available, and willingness to have frequent blood tests
- For the treatment stage: good blood, kidney and liver function, and use of contraception for a period during and after treatment if you could have children
Who may not be able to
- Any other cancer treatment planned besides hormone therapy or a bone-strengthening drug (bisphosphonate)
- Having had a CDK 4/6 inhibitor (such as palbociclib-type drugs) within the last 12 months, or taken part in a trial using one after surgery
- Previous treatment with fulvestrant (one very low dose is allowed)
- Another cancer diagnosed in the last 5 years (apart from some skin and cervical cancers)
- Serious uncontrolled heart problems, or lung conditions such as pneumonitis or pulmonary fibrosis
- Known HIV, or active hepatitis B or C
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding
- Problems with blood clotting, or taking warfarin; some other blood thinners are allowed
- Severe liver disease or very low kidney function
- Bowel disease or conditions that stop oral medicines being absorbed properly
- Still recovering from serious side effects of earlier cancer treatment, or major surgery in the last 4 weeks (treatment stage)
- For the treatment stage: grapefruit, pomelos, starfruit or Seville oranges and some medicines and supplements that affect how palbociclib is broken down, if these cannot be stopped
What taking part involves
- • Stage 1: regular blood tests to look for circulating tumour DNA (pieces of cancer DNA in the blood) that could show the cancer is coming back
- • If no cancer DNA is found, you carry on with your standard hormone therapy as usual
- • If cancer DNA is found and scans show no cancer spread, you are randomly assigned (by chance) to one of two groups
- • One group takes palbociclib tablets plus fulvestrant (given as an injection) with ovarian suppression if you have not been through the menopause
- • The other group continues their standard hormone therapy
- • Everyone continues to be monitored with blood tests and scans as part of the trial
Time commitment: Taking part involves frequent blood tests during the surveillance stage, and if you join the treatment stage, regular hospital visits for up to several years with scans, blood tests and either tablets, injections or both - exact schedule and total duration: not stated - ask the trial team.
Plain-English summary (AI-generated) from registry data. Not eligibility advice — only the trial team can confirm whether you can take part. Use the eligibility checker to see how your health profile matches this trial.
- Type of study
- Testing a treatment
- Ages
- 18 Years and over
- Who
- All
- Number of participants
- 1,100
- Started
- 2022-03-30
- Last checked
- 2024-12
Plain English Summary
What is this study?
- • Testing a new treatment for er+ breast cancer
- • Phase2 - 1,100 participants
- • Detection of molecular relapse with circulating tumour DNA analysis can identify which patients with ER positive breast cancer are relapsing on adjuvant endocrine therapy
Who can take part?
- • Ages 18 Years and over
- • Diagnosed with er+ breast cancer
Where?
- • London - Barnet Hospital
- • Truro - Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust
- • Bournemouth - University Hospitals Dorset: Royal Bournemouth Hospital
- • Brighton - Royal Sussex Hospital
- • +24 more UK sites
This is a simplified summary. Always discuss with your doctor before making any decisions.
About This Trial
Detection of molecular relapse with circulating tumour DNA analysis can identify which patients with ER positive breast cancer are relapsing on adjuvant endocrine therapy. This trial will aim to demonstrate that palbociclib and fulvestrant, can defer or prevent relapse in patients with ctDNA detected molecular relapse. The TRAK-ER trial will have two phases, a ctDNA surveillance phase and a randomised therapy trial in patients with positive ctDNA. The TRAK-ER trial will establish a ctDNA screening programme for patients with ER positive breast cancer receiving adjuvant endocrine therapy with at least a further three years of standard adjuvant endocrine therapy planned. Patients recruited into the TRAK-ER study will have high-risk clinical features to identify patients at higher risk of future relapse. ctDNA assays will be used to identify which people are at very high risk of relapse (i.e. those with a positive ctDNA result), and randomise this high risk population between standard endocrine therapy versus palbociclib plus fulvestrant for up to two years.
More detail
The TRAK-ER trial is a multi-centre, randomised, open-label trial in patients with early stage oestrogen reception positive (ER+) human epidermal growth receptor-2 negative (HER2-) breast cancer, whom have detectable circulating DNA (ctDNA) but no overt macroscopic disease on imaging. TRAK-ER aims to demonstrate that fulvestrant plus palbociclib improves relapse free survival compared to standard endocrine therapy in this patient group. Despite current treatment, patients with ER+HER2- breast cancer are considered high-risk of distant recurrence for more than the first two decades after initial diagnosis. ctDNA analysis provides a non-invasive, serial source of tumour material which can monitor tumour dynamics and detect molecular relapse. TRAK-ER will be split into two phases, the first surveillance phase aims to investigate the use of ctDNA to identify and predict the risk of molecular relapse in early ER+/HER2- breast cancer patients whom are receiving adjuvant endocrine therapy with no overt macroscopic disease on imaging. Using ctDNA assays, patients enrolled on TRAK-ER will receive ctDNA testing on a three-monthly basis for up to three years. In the instance where ctDNA is detected, imaging will determine whether overt disease is present. If a patient had a positive ctDNA detection and no macroscopic disease on the staging scan, the patient will be randomised to one of the treatment groups in the second phase of TRAK-ER, the treatment phase. The treatment phase of TRAK-ER will be a randomised, open-label study which aims to determine whether fulvestrant plus palbociclib (intervention arm) improves relapse free survival compared to standard endocrine therapy (control arm) in patients carried through from the surveillance phase. Patients on each arm will receive treatment (fulvestrant plus palbociclib or standard endocrine therapy) for up to 24 months. Six monthly imaging will determine the presence of macroscopic disease. If macroscopic disease is observed, the patient will discontinue TRAK-ER treatment and commence standard therapy outside of the TRAK-ER trial.
How this trial compares with your answers
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What we know so far
Still need:
- • Tell us your age for better matching
- • Tell us your sex for better matching
Preliminary match based on your answers. Full eligibility requires on-site assessment including medical history, physical exam, and lab tests. This does not guarantee enrolment.
Eligibility at a Glance
Key info
- Age: 18 Years and over
- Who can join: All genders
- How fit you need to be: ECOG 0 or better
Biomarkers mentioned
Treatment history
Treatments you must have had:
- ✓ had surgery achieving clear margins (as per local guidelines)
- ✓ commenced licensed GnRH analogues at least 2 weeks
- ✓ as part of study screening)
What the study is looking for
- ✓Inclusion Criteria for ctDNA Surveillance:
- ✓Written agreement to take part to participate in the trial and to donation of tissue and blood samples
- ✓Male or female patients aged 18 years or older
- ✓ECOG performance status 0, 1 or 2 (see https://ecog-acrin.org/resources/ecog-performance-status)
- ✓Patients with high risk early stage breast cancer according to at least one of the following criteria:
See the full criteria
Where Is This Study? (28 UK sites)
Barnet Hospital
London EN5 3DJ, United Kingdom
Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust
Truro TR1 3LJ, United Kingdom
University Hospitals Dorset: Royal Bournemouth Hospital
Bournemouth BH7 7DW, United Kingdom
Royal Sussex Hospital
Brighton BN2 5BE, United Kingdom
Bristol Haematology and Oncology Centre
Bristol BS2 8ED, United Kingdom
Velindre Cancer Centre
Cardiff CF14 2TL, United Kingdom
Velindre University NHS Trust
Cardiff CF14 2TL, United Kingdom
Darlington Memorial Hospital
Darlington, United Kingdom
Research and Development Team cdda-tr.Research@nhs.net
nencadmin@nihr.ac.uk01325 743366Western General
Edinburgh EH4 2XU, United Kingdom
Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital
Exeter EX2 5DW, United Kingdom
Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre
Glasgow G12 0YN, United Kingdom
North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust: Hinchingbrooke Hospital
Huntingdon PE29 6NT, United Kingdom
St James's University Hospital
Leeds LS9 7FT, United Kingdom
The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust
Liverpool, United Kingdom
Barts Health NHS Trust
London EC1A 7BE, United Kingdom
Mount Vernon Hospital
London HA6 2RN, United Kingdom
University College London Hospital
London NW1 2BU, United Kingdom
The Royal Free Hospital
London NW3 2QG, United Kingdom
The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
London SW3 6JJ, United Kingdom
Maidstone Hospital
Maidstone ME16 9QQ, United Kingdom
The Christie NHS Foundation Trust
Manchester M20 4BX, United Kingdom
Nottingham University Hopsitals NHS Trust
Nottingham NG5 1PB, United Kingdom
Oxford Cancer & Haematology Centre, Churchill Hospital,
Oxford OX3 7LE, United Kingdom
North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust: Peterborough Hospital
Peterborough PE3 9GZ, United Kingdom
Derriford Hospital - UHPNT
Plymouth PL6 8DH, United Kingdom
University Hospitals Dorset: Poole Hospital
Poole BH15 2JB, United Kingdom
Weston Park Hospital
Sheffield S10 2SJ, United Kingdom
Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
Taunton TA1 5DA, United Kingdom
How to Get in Touch
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