Updated May 2026 · ClinicalTrials.gov
Study of Autologous Tumor-Draining Lymph Node-Derived Lymphocytes for Advanced HER2-Negative Breast Cancer
An Open-Label Phase I/II Study of Autologous Tumor-Draining Lymph Node-Derived Lymphocytes for Advanced HER2-Negative Breast Cancer
Study of Autologous Tumor-Draining Lymph Node-Derived Lymphocytes for Advanced HER2-Negative Breast Cancer (NCT05981001) is a Phase 1 / Phase 2 interventional studying Breast Neoplasms, sponsored by Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University. RECRUITING as of the most recent ClinicalTrials.gov update. Talk to your doctor before contacting the trial site.
About This Trial
RATIONALE: Patients with HER2-negative advanced breast cancer have limited choice on targeted therapies, and often show only modest responses to available immunotherapies. Adoptive cell therapy with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes has difficulties in preparing enough cells from solid tumors and overcoming the exhaustion and dysfunction of T cells, which limit its clinical use. Tumor-draining lymph node-derived lymphocytes (LNLs) that have abundant tumor-specific T cells, rather than exhausted T cells, are easier to produce. It is not yet known whether LNL treatment is safe and effective in patients with advanced HER2-negative breast cancer. PURPOSE: This open-label phase I/II trial is to study the safety and efficacy of autologous LNL in patients with advanced HER2-negative breast cancer.
What Stage of Research Is This?
Phase 1 trials test a new treatment for the first time in humans, focusing on safety, dosing, and how the body processes the drug. For Breast Neoplasms, a Phase 1 study typically enrolls a small number of participants — often healthy volunteers or patients who have exhausted standard treatment options. Phase 1 results determine whether a treatment moves into larger Phase 2 efficacy studies.
This trial is currently recruiting participants. The sponsor has registered the study with ClinicalTrials.gov as actively enrolling, which means new applicants who meet the eligibility criteria can be considered for screening. Trial status can change between updates — confirm current recruiting status with the study contact before traveling for a screening visit.
Target enrollment of 170 participants puts this in the typical range for a Phase 2-style efficacy study or a moderate Phase 3 trial in a focused Breast Neoplasms subpopulation. At this scale, the study has enough statistical power to detect a clear treatment effect but is not the largest cohort in the field.
Who May Be Eligible (Plain English)
These are translations of the protocol\'s inclusion and exclusion criteria, simplified for patients and caregivers. The original clinical text appears below. Eligibility is ultimately confirmed by the trial site\'s screening process — this summary is a starting point for a conversation with your doctor, not a final determination.
Original Eligibility Criteria
View original clinical language
Treatments Being Tested
Surgery for harvesting tumor-draining lymph nodes
A sample of the participant's tumor-draining lymph nodes will be collected and sent to the biotherapy center for LNL isolation and expansion.
Cyclophosphamide
Cyclophosphamide will be administered at 60 mg/kg IV daily over approximately two hours for two days. Cyclophosphamide will be initiated seven days prior to the anticipated LNL transfer, and the precise timing will depend on the rate of in vitro LNL growth.
Fludarabine
After administration of cyclophosphamide, fludarabine will then be infused at 25 mg/m\^2 intravenous piggyback (IVPB) daily over approximately 30 minutes for five days, starting five days prior to LNL transfer.
Tumor-draining lymph node-derived lymphocyte (LNL)
In the dose-escalation portion of phase I study, participants receive ascending dose (1×10\^9\~18×10\^9), single Infusion of LNL on day 0. In the dose-expansion portion of phase I study, participants receive single infusion of LNL at the recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D). In the phase II study, participants receive single infusion of LNL at the RP2D.
Interleukin-2
Eight to twelve hours after completing the LNL infusion, all participants will receive intermediate-dose decrescendo IL-2 IV.
Camrelizumab
Camrelizumab will be administered at a fixed dose of 200mg IV on Day 1 of each 21-day cycle until unacceptable toxic effects or disease progression or other termination criteria appeared.
Nab-paclitaxel
Nab-paclitaxel will be administered at 100 mg/m\^2 IV on Days 1, 8 and 15 of each 28-day cycle until unacceptable toxic effects or disease progression or other termination criteria appeared.
Gemcitabine
Gemcitabine will be administered at 1000 mg/m\^2 IV on Days 1 and 8 of each 21-day cycle until unacceptable toxic effects or disease progression or other termination criteria appeared.
Carboplatin
Carboplatin will be administered at area under the concentration-time curve 2 (AUC 2) IV on Days 1 and 8 of each 21-day cycle until unacceptable toxic effects or disease progression or other termination criteria appeared.
Locations (1)
Trial sites listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for this study. Site activation status can vary — confirm with the specific site before traveling for a screening visit.
How to Talk to Your Doctor About This Trial
Bring the printable summary of this trial — including the NCT ID (NCT05981001), the sponsor (Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University), and the key eligibility criteria — to your next appointment. Your doctor can review the inclusion and exclusion criteria against your medical history, lab values, and current treatments to assess whether you are likely to qualify. They can also help you weigh whether trial participation makes sense alongside your existing care plan.
Useful questions to walk through together: What does the trial protocol require beyond standard care? How long is the active treatment phase, and how long is follow-up? Are there study visits at sites I can reach? Who pays for the trial-specific procedures, and who pays for standard-of-care portions? See our 25 questions to ask about clinical trials guide for a more complete checklist.
Authoritative Sources
The official record for this trial lives on ClinicalTrials.gov — the federal registry maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. For background on how this trial fits into the FDA approval pathway, see the FDA drug approval process. For oncology-specific guidance for patients considering trials, the National Cancer Institute publishes patient-oriented overviews. International trial registries are aggregated by the WHO ICTRP.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the NCT05981001 clinical trial studying?
RATIONALE: Patients with HER2-negative advanced breast cancer have limited choice on targeted therapies, and often show only modest responses to available immunotherapies. Adoptive cell therapy with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes has difficulties in preparing enough cells from solid tumors and overcoming the exhaustion and dysfunction of T cells, which limit its clinical use. Tumor-draining lymph node-derived lymphocytes (LNLs) that have abundant tumor-specific T cells, rather than exhausted T cells, are easier to produce. It is not yet known whether LNL treatment is safe and effective in pati… The full protocol is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov and includes the primary outcome measures, eligibility criteria, and study endpoints.
Who can participate in NCT05981001?
Eligibility for this trial depends on the specific inclusion and exclusion criteria set by the sponsor. The plain-English summary above translates the most important criteria into accessible language; the official clinical text is preserved in the collapsible section underneath. Whether you fit any specific trial is a medical decision your doctor needs to confirm — bring the trial information to your treating physician for a full review against your medical history.
How do I contact the trial site for NCT05981001?
Contact information registered with ClinicalTrials.gov is shown in the sidebar of this page. Before reaching out, confirm with your treating physician that this trial is appropriate for your situation. The trial site will then walk you through the screening process to determine final eligibility.
Is participating in a clinical trial safe?
Clinical trials in the United States are regulated by the FDA and overseen by Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) that review the protocol for safety. Risk varies by trial — Phase 1 studies test new treatments in humans for the first time, while Phase 3 trials use treatments that have already passed earlier safety screening. The informed consent document for any specific trial details the known risks and what to expect. Discuss those risks with your physician before deciding whether to participate.
Where can I verify the data on this page?
Every detail on this page comes directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API. Click "View on ClinicalTrials.gov" in the sidebar to see the official, unmodified record. The federal record is always authoritative; this page is a structured presentation with a plain-English eligibility translation. For background on how clinical trials are regulated, see the FDA drug approval process documentation.
How This Page Is Built
Every field on this page is pulled directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 — no estimates, no proxies. The plain-English eligibility translation is generated from the original protocol text and reviewed for fidelity to the underlying clinical criteria. The original clinical text remains visible in the collapsible section above so users and clinicians can verify the translation. Read the full methodology for the data pipeline and known limitations.
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 record for NCT05981001. Maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. Public domain. Cite as: "TrialFinderData. NCT05981001. Data: ClinicalTrials.gov."
Medical disclaimer: This page is informational, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.
Last updated 2026-05-08 · Data from ClinicalTrials.gov.