Womens Heart and Brain

Changes in Women’s Heart and Brain Health

The University of Toronto is recruiting postmenopausal women to participate in a research study named STRIVE (Studying Endocrine Therapy Impacts on Cardiovascular and Brain Health Outcomes in Breast Cancer). Participation involves a series of non‑invasive tests to measure metrics of cardiovascular and brain health in women who have had breast cancer and in women who have not had cancer for comparison.

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This study is being funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Cancer Research Society. The study is led by Dr. Amy Kirkham, Assistant Professor.

Study Goals

Our research team is interested in uncovering the short‑ and long‑term effects of aromatase inhibitor therapy for breast cancer on heart and brain health so that we can provide better health care recommendations to reduce the risk of other health conditions after breast cancer treatment. To do this, we need to learn more about the hearts and brains of women with and without breast cancer because, historically, women have been studied less than men.

Are you eligible?

We are recruiting individuals who are:

  • Female.
  • Post-menopausal (no menstrual cycle for 12 months).
  • Able to travel to the University of Toronto (downtown St. George campus) for 4 in-person visits within 6 months.
  • Have EITHER no history of cancer OR a history of stage I-III breast cancer (hormone +, HER2-)

If you have a different breast cancer diagnosis, we may have other studies that you could be eligible for.

What Does the Study Involve?

If you are eligible to participate, you will be asked to attend two scheduled in‑person study visits within 2 weeks of each other now and the same two visits approximately 6 months later.

The study involves in‑person assessments such as non‑invasive measures of the heart, blood vessels, brain vessels, cognitive function, a blood test, and a fitness assessment. These measures will be collected on‑site at the University of Toronto in downtown Toronto (Bloor and St. George). In addition, you will be asked to wear a continuous glucose monitor on the back of your arm and a Garmin smartwatch tracker on your wrist for 10 days.

We understand this is a challenging time commitment for many women, so we are pleased to offer up to $130 compensation per time point (two total time points, for a combined total of $260) for your time, along with parking or public transportation support. Please let us know if there is any further accommodation that we can arrange to make your participation possible.

Want to Learn More? Contact us!

If this sounds interesting and you would like to learn more about participating, the first step will be to complete a survey to determine if you meet the initial eligibility criteria for the study.

If your responses suggest that you may be eligible, you will be asked to provide your first name, phone number, and email address at the end of the survey and book a time to speak to a study team member by phone. During the phone call, we will explain the rest of the details of the study so that you can decide if you want to participate.

Access the survey link here: STRIVE Study 1 Screening Survey