IMAGE Study: Personalized Molecular Profiling in Cancer Treatment at Johns Hopkins

The goal of this research study is to determine if it is possible to obtain personalized genetic information from a subject's tumor to see if physicians can use that information to make a treatment suggestion. The investigators hope to identify genes important to cancer cells that could potentially identify a more educated way to recommend therapy. It is not known if our suggestion for treatment based on genetic information will be the correct treatment choice. Subjects and their treating doctor will have a choice about what treatment they will receive and do not have to decide to be treated with the suggestion from this study. In some cases it will not be possible to make a suggestion. For example, a suggestion for treatment will not be possible if there are technical issues, if the gene sequencing process takes longer than planned, or if no genes are identified that could help identify a treatment suggestion. The investigators also plan to collect information about the treatment subjects receive and how their cancer responds to the treatment. This may help us to understand if our personalized suggestion improves the amount of time before their disease progresses. In addition, blood samples will be collected for research studies. These samples are being collected to learn more about breast cancer by studying cells, genes, and gene products including their patterns and changes in the blood and tissue to help to learn how cancer develops and responds to therapy. Any man or woman being seen at Johns Hopkins for treatment of metastatic triple negative (or behaving as triple negative) breast cancer may be eligible. Upon conclusion of the tissue studies and in order to gain experience with and assess the feasibility of receiving blood-based results using blood sampling kits, we will enroll an additional cohort of patients with recent Foundation Medicine testing for clinical purposes and collect blood samples only for research testing. The primary objectives and analysis for this new cohort will proceed similarly as the original tissue-based cohort.