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Breast cancer

The Ottawa Hospital is conducting cutting-edge research to improve our understanding of breast cancer and develop better treatments. This page includes selected news stories about our breast cancer research, links to researchers working in this area and related resources. Learn more below.

Research News


Breast cancer screening before age 50 linked with better survival
August 4, 2023 - Canadian provinces and territories that allowed women 40-49 to self-refer for organized breast cancer screening programs with annual mammograms had better survival and lower breast cancer mortality rates compared with those that did not, according to
2,000 Ottawa participants recruited to breast cancer screening study
May 26, 2023 - The Ottawa site of the Tomosynthesis Mammographic Imaging Screening Trial (TMIST) recently reached its enrollment goal of 2,000 participants. Led by Dr. Jean Seely, the Ottawa site first opened in 2017.
Novel DNA-targeting drug shows activity in patients with breast, ovarian cancer
October 13, 2022 - A clinical trial led by Dr. John Hilton shows that a novel drug called CX-5461 is active in patients with advanced solid cancers with DNA repair deficiencies. The phase I trial enrolled 40 patients at The Ottawa Hospital and two other centres.
Show more news stories


Researchers


Name Scientific appointment Diseases, conditions and populations of interest Research and clinical approaches
Addison, Christina
PhD
Senior Scientist
(Cancer Therapeutics)
Bone and joint degeneration, Cancer, Lung cancer, Lung disease, Pancreatic cancer, Prostate cancer, Breast cancer Basic research, Clinical research, Cohort studies, Disease models, Drug development, Genetics, Imaging, Model organisms, Translational research, Molecular and cellular biology
Ardolino, Michele
PhD
Senior Scientist
(Cancer Therapeutics)
Blood cancer, Brain cancer, Breast cancer, Cancer, Colorectal cancer, Head and neck cancer, Liver cancer, Lung cancer, Ovarian cancer, Pancreatic cancer, Prostate cancer, Skin cancer, Soft tissue sarcoma Basic research, Cancer immunotherapy, Cell therapy, Clinical research, Disease models, Immunization, Immunotherapy, Model organisms, Molecular and cellular biology, Transgenic/knockout models, Translational research
Awan, Arif Ali
MD
Clinician Investigator
(Cancer Therapeutics)
Breast cancer
Bissell, Mary Beth
MSc, MD, FRCPC
Clinician Investigator
(Cancer Therapeutics)
Breast cancer, Cancer, COVID-19, Population health, Women's health Clinical research
Clemons, Mark
MB BS, BMedSci, MSc, MD, FRCP, FRCPC
Scientist
(Cancer Therapeutics)
Breast cancer, Cancer Basic research, Clinical research, Clinical trials, Health research methods, Knowledge translation and implementation research
Hutton, Brian
MSc, PhD
Senior Scientist
(Clinical Epidemiology)
Addiction, Anxiety, Breast cancer, Depression, Health equity, Health in disadvantaged peoples, Maternal and fetal health, Mental health, Population health, Suicide, Cancer Clinical research, Cohort studies, Epidemiology, Health research methods, Health services research, Patient safety, Public health, Rapid reviews, Biostatistics, Clinical trials, Systematic reviews
Ilkow, Carolina
PhD
Senior Scientist
(Cancer Therapeutics)
Breast cancer, COVID-19, Ovarian cancer, Pancreatic cancer Basic research, Cancer biotherapeutics, Cancer immunotherapy, Extracellular vesicles / exosomes, Gene therapy, Immunization, Immunotherapy, Molecular and cellular biology, Oncolytic viruses, Translational research, Viral therapy
Morgan, Scott
MD, MSc, FRCPC
Clinician Investigator
(Cancer Therapeutics)
Bladder cancer, Breast cancer, Cancer, Prostate cancer Biomarkers, Clinical research, Clinical trials, Cohort studies, Imaging, Systematic reviews
Sabourin, Luc
PhD
Senior Scientist
(Cancer Therapeutics)
Breast cancer, Muscular dystrophy, Skin cancer Basic research, Disease models, Drug development, Gene expression, Genetics, Molecular and cellular biology, Proteomics, Stem cells, Transgenic/knockout models
Seely, Jean
MDCM, FRCPC
Clinician Investigator
(Clinical Epidemiology)
Breast cancer, Cancer, Health equity, Population health, Women's health Clinical trials, Cohort studies, Health technology, Imaging, Patient engagement, Public health, Quality Improvement, Surgery
Srikanthan, Amirrtha
MD, MHSc, FRCPC, DRCPSC (AYA Oncology)
Clinician Investigator
(Cancer Therapeutics)
Breast cancer, Cancer, Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST), Soft tissue sarcoma Clinical research, Health promotion, Patient engagement, Surveys




Clinical Trials

The following list of clinical trials is pulled from ClinicalTrials.gov using the search terms "Breast cancer” and “Ottawa Hospital.” More advanced search options are available. If you find a clinical trial that interests you, you can bring the information to the next appointment with your care team and ask if you are eligible for the study. If so, they may be able to refer you to the study team. Visit ohri.ca/patients to learn more about participating in research and clinical trials.

Note that ClinicalTrials.gov is hosted by the U.S. National Library of Medicine and is only available in English. Please note that we cannot guarantee a response from the person listed in the ‘Contact’ column.

NCTTitleConditionStatusContact
NCT02333890A Phase 2 Randomized, Double-blind Trial Evaluating the Effects of Chloroquine in Breast Cancer (NCT02333890)Breast Cancer, Invasive Breast CancerUnknown status 
NCT04191499A Study Evaluating the Efficacy and Safety of Inavolisib + Palbociclib + Fulvestrant vs Placebo + Palbociclib + Fulvestrant in Patients With PIK3CA-Mutant, Hormone Receptor-Positive, Her2-Negative, Locally Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer (NCT04191499)Breast CancerRecruiting 
NCT05646862A Study Evaluating the Efficacy and Safety of Inavolisib Plus Fulvestrant Compared With Alpelisib Plus Fulvestrant in Participants With HR-Positive, HER2-Negative, PIK3CA Mutated, Locally Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer Post CDK4/6i and Endocrine Combination Therapy (NCT05646862)Breast CancerRecruiting 
NCT04622319A Study of Trastuzumab Deruxtecan (T-DXd) Versus Trastuzumab Emtansine (T-DM1) in High-risk HER2-positive Participants With Residual Invasive Breast Cancer Following Neoadjuvant Therapy (DESTINY-Breast05) (NCT04622319)HER2-Positive Primary Breast Cancer, Residual Invasive Breast CancerRecruiting 
NCT05132582A Study of Tucatinib or Placebo With Trastuzumab and Pertuzumab for Metastatic HER2+ Breast Cancer (NCT05132582)HER2 Positive Breast CancerRecruiting 
NCT04260802A Study to Evaluate the Safety and Pharmacokinetics of OC-001 in Patients With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Cancers (NCT04260802)Cancer, Neoplasms, Metastatic Cancer, Triple Negative Breast Cancer, Gastric Cancer, Cervical Cancer, Ovarian Cancer, Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck, Urothelial Carcinoma, Urothelial Neoplasm, Non Small Cell Lung Cancer, Renal Cell Carcinoma, Locally Advanced Solid Tumor, Locally Advanced Malignant Neoplasm, Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Sarcoma, Merkel Cell Carcinoma, Bladder CancerRecruitingdjonker@toh.ca
NCT04080934Breaststroke Swimming After Breast Cancer Treatment/Surgery as a Means of Treatment for Seroma, Lymphedema, and Chronic Arm and Chest Pain (NCT04080934)Lymphedema, Seroma, Pain, Postoperative, Pain, ChestRecruiting 
NCT04549207Comparing Continuation or De-escalation of Bone Modifying Agents (BMA) in Patients Treated for Over 2 Years for Bone Metastases From Either Breast or Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer (NCT04549207)Breast Cancer, Castration-resistant Prostate CancerRecruiting 
NCT03233191Digital Tomosynthesis Mammography and Digital Mammography in Screening Patients for Breast Cancer (NCT03233191)Breast ScreeningRecruiting 
NCT04928261Evaluating 6-months of HER2-targeted Therapy in Patients With HER2 Positive Early-stage Breast Cancer That Achieve a Pathological Complete Response to Neoadjuvant Systemic Therapy (NCT04928261)Breast CancerRecruitinglvandermeer@ohri.ca
NCT05754528Evaluating an Endocrine Therapy Dose-frequency Escalation Strategy and Its Effects on Tolerability and Compliance (NCT05754528)Breast CancerRecruitinglvandermeer@ohri.ca
NCT04921137Evaluating Harms and Benefits of Endocrine Therapy in Patients ≥70 Years of Age With Lower Risk Breast Cancer (NCT04921137)Breast CancerRecruitingmsavard@toh.ca
NCT05753618Evaluating Omission of Granulocyte Colony-stimulating Factors in Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Paclitaxel Portion of Dose-dense Adriamycin-cyclophosphamide and Paclitaxel Chemotherapy (NCT05753618)Early-stage Breast CancerRecruitinglvandermeer@ohri.ca
NCT04136496Evaluation of a Novel Axillary Lymph Node Ink Localization Technique: A Feasibility Study (NCT04136496)Breast Cancer, Axillary LymphadenitisRecruitingnimikhael@ohri.ca
NCT04650581Fulvestrant and Ipatasertib for Advanced HER-2 Negative and Estrogen Receptor Positive (ER+) Breast Cancer Following Progression on First Line CDK 4/6 Inhibitor and Aromatase Inhibitor (NCT04650581)Breast CancerRecruiting 
NCT04781725INVINCIBLE TRIAL: Intratumoral INT230-6 in Breast Cancer (NCT04781725)Breast CancerUnknown statusaarnaout@toh.on.ca
NCT05601440Liquid-biopsy Informed Platform Trial to Evaluate CDK4/6-inhibitor Resistant ER+/HER2- Metastatic Breast Cancer (NCT05601440)Breast CancerRecruiting 
NCT03713255Mid-point Transverse Process to Pleura Block for Breast Cancer Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial (NCT03713255)Breast Cancer, Acute Pain, AnesthesiaRecruiting 
NCT02906943Ontario-wide Cancer TArgeted Nucleic Acid Evaluation (NCT02906943)Breast Cancer, Lung Cancer, Colorectal Cancer, Melanoma, Gynecological Cancer, Genitourinary Cancer, Pancreatobiliary Cancer, Gastrointestinal Cancer, Head and Neck Cancer, Rare Cancer, Unknown Primary CancerRecruitinghanzhang@ohri.ca, kchristink@toh.ca
NCT03959709Pre-pectoral Versus Sub-pectoral Implant Placement in Immediate Breast Reconstruction (NCT03959709)Mastectomy, Breast CancerRecruiting 
NCT04874038Prevention of Persistent Pain With LidocAine iNfusions in Breast Cancer Surgery (PLAN) (NCT04874038)Post-mastectomy Pain Syndrome, Breast Cancer, Pain, Postoperative, Pain, ChronicRecruiting 
NCT03488693Regional Radiotherapy in Biomarker Low-Risk Node Positive and T3N0 Breast Cancer (NCT03488693)Breast CancerRecruiting 
NCT04680442Safety of Continuing HER-2 Directed Therapy in Overt Left Ventricular Dysfunction (NCT04680442)Breast Cancer, Heart FailureRecruitingkelross@ohri.ca
NCT05382286Study of Sacituzumab Govitecan-hziy and Pembrolizumab Versus Treatment of Physician's Choice and Pembrolizumab in Patients With Previously Untreated, Locally Advanced Inoperable or Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (NCT05382286)Triple Negative Breast Cancer, PD-L1 PositiveRecruiting 
NCT05382299Study of Sacituzumab Govitecan-hziy Versus Treatment of Physician's Choice in Patients With Previously Untreated Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (NCT05382299)Triple Negative Breast Cancer, PD-L1 NegativeRecruiting 
NCT05548127TACTIVE-U: A Study to Learn About the Study Medicine (Called ARV-471) When Given With Other Medicines in People With Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer (Sub-Study A) (NCT05548127)Breast CancerRecruiting 
NCT05573555TACTIVE-U: A Study to Learn About the Study Medicine (Called ARV-471) When Given With Other Medicines in People With Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer (Sub-Study B) (NCT05573555)Breast CancerRecruiting 
NCT04874064TRIple Negative Breast Cancer Markers In Liquid Biopsies Using Artificial Intelligence (NCT04874064)Breast CancerUnknown statusnatremblay@ohri.ca
NCT05804578Using a Blood Test to Monitor Metastatic Breast Cancer Treatment (NCT05804578)Metastatic Breast CancerRecruitingaawan@ohri.ca