Phase II Study of Fluorine-18 3'-Deoxy-3'-Fluorothymidine (F-18-FLT) in Invasive Breast Cancer

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To correlate the percentage change in standardized uptake value at 60 minutes (SUV60) between baseline (FLT-1) and early-therapy (FLT-2) with pathologic complete response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy of the primary tumor in patients with locally advanced breast cancer. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To demonstrate correlation between FLT-1 and post-therapy (FLT-3) uptake parameters and tumor proliferation markers in locally advanced breast cancer. II. To evaluate the relationship between FLT-1, FLT-2 and FLT-3 uptake parameters and pathologic complete response of the primary tumor and residual cancer burden (RCB). III. To evaluate the relationship between FLT-1, FLT-2 and FLT-3 uptake parameters and non-response of the primary tumor (stable or progressive disease) to therapy. IV. To evaluate the relationship between FLT-1, FLT-2 and FLT-3 uptake parameters and pathologic complete response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with regional disease in the lymph nodes in patients with locally advanced breast cancer. V. To compare the changes of FLT-2 and FLT-3 uptake parameters to changes in tumor sizes from other serial imaging modalities such as mammograms, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and ultrasound. VI. To compare the changes of FLT-2 and FLT-3 uptake parameters to metabolic changes from \[18F\] fludeoxyglucose (FDG)-PET, as available. VII. To continue to monitor for potential safety issues and define any physiologic effects associated with 18F FLT administration. OUTLINE: Patients undergo 18F-FLT PET/CT at baseline (prior to chemotherapy, FLT-1), early therapy (5-10 days after the initiation of the first course of chemotherapy, FLT-2), and post therapy (within 3 weeks prior to surgery, FLT-3). Patients undergo standard surgical resection of residual tumor following completion of neoadjuvant chemotherapy.