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Updated June 2026 · ClinicalTrials.gov

RECRUITINGPhase 2INTERVENTIONAL

Ultra-Hypofractionated vs. Hypofractionated Radiation for Node-Positive Breast Cancer

SWIFT RT: Ultra-Hypofractionated vs. Hypofractionated Radiation for Node-Positive Breast Cancer

Ultra-Hypofractionated vs. Hypofractionated Radiation for Node-Positive Breast Cancer (NCT06559540) is a Phase 2 interventional studying Node-positive Breast Cancer, sponsored by Washington University School of Medicine. RECRUITING as of the most recent ClinicalTrials.gov update. Talk to your doctor before contacting the trial site.

Important: This information is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

About This Trial

In breast cancer patients with nodal involvement, numerous studies have demonstrated that adjuvant radiation therapy reduces the risk of local recurrence, regional recurrence, and distant metastases, in addition to improving survival. The dose and fractionation for adjuvant breast radiation therapy has evolved over time, as novel schedules have been compared to the current standard of care. Hypofractionated radiation therapy (266 cGy per fraction x 15-16 fractions over 3 weeks) has been shown to result in equivalent oncologic outcomes, as well as equivalent acute and late toxicity, when compared to standard fractionation (200 cGy per fraction x 25 fractions over 5 weeks). Subsequently, hypofractionated breast radiation has become the current standard of care. More recently, ultra-hypofractionated breast radiation (520 cGy per fraction x 5 fractions over 1 week) was shown in a randomized trial to be non-inferior to hypofractionated radiation when treating the breast after lumpectomy. However, the efficacy and toxicity of using ultra-hypofractionated radiation therapy when also treating the regional nodes has not been reported. This is important, as there is greater radiation exposure to several normal tissues, such as the arm/shoulder, brachial plexus, normal lymphatics, heart, and lung, when treating the regional nodes. In this randomized study, the investigators aim to compare the tolerability and efficacy of ultra-hypofractionated breast/chest wall and regional nodal radiation (SWIFT RT) against hypofractionated radiation (RT). The investigators will evaluate acute and late toxicity, oncologic outcomes (including local recurrence, regional recurrence, distant metastasis, and overall survival), cosmesis, and patient-reported quality of life. The investigators will collect blood samples for correlative studies of biomarkers of fibrosis and cardiac toxicity.

What Stage of Research Is This?

Phase 2 trials evaluate whether a treatment actually works against Node-positive Breast Cancer and continue monitoring side effects. Phase 2 enrolls larger groups (typically 100–300 patients) and produces the first real efficacy signal. A successful Phase 2 readout is what unlocks the much larger Phase 3 confirmatory trials needed for FDA approval.

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 220 participants puts this in the typical range for a Phase 2-style efficacy study or a moderate Phase 3 trial in a focused Node-positive Breast Cancer 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)

Who May Qualify: - diagnosed by tissue sample (biopsy-confirmed) invasive carcinoma of the breast. Metaplastic breast cancer is allowed. - AJCC 8th Edition Stage: cT1-3 primary tumor. cN1-2 or pN1-2. - Biopsy-proven involved axillary node(s) (either at baseline and/or at time of surgery). - Undergone either partial mastectomy (with negative final histologic margins (defined as no tumor on ink, after initial surgery or re-excision)) or mastectomy (with negative histologic margins defined as tumor (either invasive or in situ disease) \> 2 mm from the final margin). - Nodal surgery with either sentinel lymph node biopsy or axillary lymph node dissection. Effort to recover the original biopsy-proven node should be performed at time of surgery. - Systemic therapy (chemotherapy and/or endocrine therapy) should be administered as per standard of care and recommendation of medical oncology. Neoadjuvant and/or adjuvant systemic therapy is allowed. Concurrent endocrine therapy, anti-HER2 therapy, and immunotherapy during RT is allowed. - All radiation therapy must be planned to be delivered at BJH or a Siteman satellite location. - Female. - Age ≥ 18 years at diagnosis. - ECOG Zubrod performance status 0 or 1. - English speaker. - Able to understand and willing to sign IRB-approved written willing to sign a consent form document. Who Should NOT Join This Trial: - Presence of distant metastases. - Diagnosis of nonepithelial breast malignancies such as sarcoma or lymphoma. - Diagnosis of bilateral breast cancer. - AJCC cT4 disease, pT4 disease, or any skin involvement on exam or pathology, including dermal LVSI. - Presence of palpable or radiographically suspicious supraclavicular, infraclavicular, or internal mammary nodes. - Prior radiation therapy which would have any overlap with current radiation therapy plan. - Diagnosis of prior breast cancer or diagnosis of current breast cancer more than one year prior to enrollment. ...See full criteria on ClinicalTrials.gov Always talk to your doctor about whether this trial is right for you.

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
Inclusion Criteria: * Histologically confirmed invasive carcinoma of the breast. Metaplastic breast cancer is allowed. * AJCC 8th Edition Stage: cT1-3 primary tumor. cN1-2 or pN1-2. * Biopsy-proven involved axillary node(s) (either at baseline and/or at time of surgery). * Undergone either partial mastectomy (with negative final histologic margins (defined as no tumor on ink, after initial surgery or re-excision)) or mastectomy (with negative histologic margins defined as tumor (either invasive or in situ disease) \> 2 mm from the final margin). * Nodal surgery with either sentinel lymph node biopsy or axillary lymph node dissection. Effort to recover the original biopsy-proven node should be performed at time of surgery. * Systemic therapy (chemotherapy and/or endocrine therapy) should be administered as per standard of care and recommendation of medical oncology. Neoadjuvant and/or adjuvant systemic therapy is allowed. Concurrent endocrine therapy, anti-HER2 therapy, and immunotherapy during RT is allowed. * All radiation therapy must be planned to be delivered at BJH or a Siteman satellite location. * Female. * Age ≥ 18 years at diagnosis. * ECOG Zubrod performance status 0 or 1. * English speaker. * Able to understand and willing to sign IRB-approved written informed consent document. Exclusion Criteria: * Presence of distant metastases. * Diagnosis of nonepithelial breast malignancies such as sarcoma or lymphoma. * Diagnosis of bilateral breast cancer. * AJCC cT4 disease, pT4 disease, or any skin involvement on exam or pathology, including dermal LVSI. * Presence of palpable or radiographically suspicious supraclavicular, infraclavicular, or internal mammary nodes. * Prior radiation therapy which would have any overlap with current radiation therapy plan. * Diagnosis of prior breast cancer or diagnosis of current breast cancer more than one year prior to enrollment. * Diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosis, scleroderma, or dermatomyositis. * Diagnosis of a coexisting medical condition which limits life expectancy to \< 2 years. * Prior or concurrent malignancy whose natural history has the potential to interfere with the safety or efficacy assessment of the investigational treatment. Patients with prior or concurrent malignancy that does NOT meet that definition are eligible for this trial. * Time between last breast cancer surgery to RT simulation is greater than 10 weeks, or time between completion of chemotherapy to RT simulation is greater than 8 weeks, whichever is performed last prior to RT. * Planning to undergo concurrent chemotherapy. * Pregnancy, which will be excluded prior to simulation.

Treatments Being Tested

RADIATION

Hypofractionated radiation

External beam photon therapy with IMRT or VMAT to the breast/chestwall and regional lymph nodes, including supraclavicular, infraclavicular, axillary, and internal mammary nodes,

RADIATION

Ultra-hypofractionated breast/chest wall and regional nodal radiation

External beam photon therapy with IMRT or VMAT to the breast/chestwall and regional lymph nodes, including supraclavicular, infraclavicular, axillary, and internal mammary nodes

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.

Washington University School of Medicine
St Louis, Missouri, United States

How to Talk to Your Doctor About This Trial

Bring the printable summary of this trial — including the NCT ID (NCT06559540), the sponsor (Washington University School of Medicine), 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 NCT06559540 clinical trial studying?

In breast cancer patients with nodal involvement, numerous studies have demonstrated that adjuvant radiation therapy reduces the risk of local recurrence, regional recurrence, and distant metastases, in addition to improving survival. The dose and fractionation for adjuvant breast radiation therapy has evolved over time, as novel schedules have been compared to the current standard of care. Hypofractionated radiation therapy (266 cGy per fraction x 15-16 fractions over 3 weeks) has been shown to result in equivalent oncologic outcomes, as well as equivalent acute and late toxicity, when compar… The full protocol is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov and includes the primary outcome measures, eligibility criteria, and study endpoints.

Who can participate in NCT06559540?

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 NCT06559540?

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 NCT06559540. Maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. Public domain. Cite as: "TrialFinderData. NCT06559540. 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 2026-06-07 · Data from ClinicalTrials.gov.