This is a prospective, phase 2, single arm trial to evaluate whether Axillary Lymph Node Dissection (ALND) can be safely omitted for patients with cN2 and cN3 breast cancer who achieve a complete clinical response on exam with a complete or partial response by end-of-treatment (EOT) imaging and have either a partial or complete pathologic nodal response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) by performing nodal assessment of sentinel lymph node surgery (with or without targeted axillary dissection (TAD) followed by Regional Nodal Irradiation (RNI). This study aims to demonstrate that performing only a sentinel node dissection, which includes the removal of palpably gross disease followed by radiation, will not impact distant disease and thus survival.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
120
Patients who are clinically node negative after neoadjuvant chemotherapy by physical examination will undergo clinically indicated breast surgery (mastectomy or lumpectomy) with sentinel lymph node (SLN) surgery. Sentinel lymph node surgery must be performed within 8 weeks (56 days) after completion of the last dose of neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
Disease Free Survival (DFS)
To determine if radiation to the undissected axilla and regional lymph nodes is not inferior to axillary lymph node dissection with regional nodal irradiation (excluding dissected axilla) for DFS after neoadjuvant chemotherapy response. DFS assessed according to National Cancer Institute (NCI) Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) v6.0.
Time frame: 5 years
Invasive Breast Cancer Recurrence Free Interval (IBC - RFI)
To assess if radiation to the undissected axilla and regional nodes is not inferior to axillary dissection plus regional nodal radiation for IBC-RFI, DSS, and LRR in patients with complete or partial response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Determined by medical record.
Time frame: 5 years
Disease Specific Survival (DSS)
To assess if radiation to the undissected axilla and regional nodes is not inferior to axillary dissection plus regional nodal radiation for IBC-RFI, DSS, and LRR in patients with complete or partial response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Determined by medical record.
Time frame: 5 years
Locoregional Recurrence (LRR)
To assess if radiation to the undissected axilla and regional nodes is not inferior to axillary dissection plus regional nodal radiation for IBC-RFI, DSS, and LRR in patients with complete or partial response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Determined by medical record.
Time frame: 5 years
Lymphedema Incidence
To estimate the incidence of arm lymphedema in participants that undergo SLN with comprehensive RNI. Determined by Bioimpedance Spectroscopy
Time frame: Measured at 9 months, annually, and PRN (as needed) per patient reported symptoms, over a duration of approximately 5 years.
Recurrence Cancer Burden (RCB) Score
To estimate the distribution or Recurrence Cancer Burden (RCB) Score
Time frame: Measured at final surgical pathology (up to 21 days after surgery)
Imaging positive predictive value for extent of nodal disease burden compared to final surgical pathology and lab draws
Assessed by MRI, US, and final surgical pathology. The same imaging modality used to assess nodal adenopathy at baseline must be used throughout. RECIST v 1.1 criteria will be used for assessments.
Time frame: Measured at final surgical pathology (up to 21 days after surgery)
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