ROYAL OAK — Beaumont researchers are looking for women with and without breast cancer for a national research study at its hospitals in Dearborn, Farmington Hills, Royal Oak and Troy. Its investigators’ goal are to learn more about the effects chemotherapy has on breast cancer patients. The research is known as the UPBEAT study or Understanding and Predicting Breast Cancer Events after Treatment.

People going through chemotherapy experience many side effects, including heart-related issues, an inability to exercise and fatigue. Researchers will compare the effects of participants receiving chemotherapy with those who are not. It is hoped the study results will help doctors improve the care of breast cancer patients.

The study will require participants to meet ­at one of the Beaumont locations for a questionnaire, lab work, nurse assessment, disability measures, six minute walk and a brief cardiac MRI at Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak.

Participants will perform those procedures four times: At their initial visit and their three-month, 12-month and 24-month visits. The researchers will also contact each participant once a year for seven to 10 years after their final visit for a five minute questionnaire.

The nationwide study will enroll 1,000 women – 840 with breast cancer going through chemotherapy and 160 cancer-free women for statistical comparisons.

All of the study-specific procedures will be covered by the study. Some costs associated with a participant’s care may be considered a standard of care and billed to their health insurance company. Each patient will receive a $25 gift card at each visit. Total amount will not exceed $100.  

More detailed information on the study criteria is available by contacting Beaumont’s Cancer Clinical Trials Office at 248-551-7695. For more information on the study, please visit www.ClinicalTrials.gov, look for the condition “breast cancer” and the search term “UPBEAT.”