Researching the Effect of Exercise on Cancer

Last updated: November 3, 2025
Sponsor: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Overall Status: Active - Not Recruiting

Phase

N/A

Condition

Colon Cancer; Rectal Cancer

Colon Cancer

Prostate Cancer, Early, Recurrent

Treatment

Exercise

Clinical Study ID

NCT04589468
20-378
  • Ages > 18
  • All Genders

Study Summary

Researchers think that exercise may be able to prevent cancer from coming back by lowering ctDNA levels. The purpose of this study is to explore how aerobic exercise (exercise that stimulates and strengthens the heart and lungs and improves the body's use of oxygen) can reduce the level of ctDNA found in the blood. During the study, the highest level of exercise that is practical, is safe, and has positive effects on the body that may prevent the return of cancer (including a decrease in ctDNA levels) will be found. Each level of exercise tested will be a certain number of minutes each week. Once the best level of exercise is found, it will be tested further in a new group of participants. All participants in this study will have been previously treated for breast, prostate, or colorectal cancer.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Postsurgical diagnosis of patients with primary solid tumors at high-risk of relapseas defined by one of the following:

° High-risk primary solid tumor (e.g., colorectal, ovarian, non-small cell lungcancer) (colorectal cancer only for Phase 1a)

  • Stage 3 or

  • ctDNA positive

° High-risk breast cancer

  • Residual invasive disease in the breast or the lymph nodes following completion ofneoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT),

  • Estrogen receptor (ER), and/or progesterone receptor (PR) positive and HER2negative,

  • CPS-EG score ≥ 3,

  • CPS-EG score ≥2 w ith ypN+, or

  • Recurrence score ≥ 25

  • No evidence of disease

  • Age ≥ 18

  • Interval of ≥ 1 month but ≤ 2 years following completion of all definitive adjuvanttherapy

  • Non-exercising (i.e., < 30 minutes of moderate and < 20 mins of vigorousexercise/wk), as assessed by remote activity and heart rate tracking for a 7-dayperiod prior to study entry)

° If ≥ 30 minutes but less than 45 minutes of moderate exercise/week, or if ≥ 20minutes but less than 30 minutes of vigorous exercise/week, patients may beeligible, at the discretion of the PI.

  • Cleared for exercise participation as per screening clearance via PAR-Q+

  • Willingness to comply with all study-related procedures

Exclusion

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Enrollment onto any other interventional investigational study except interventionsdetermined by the PI not to confound study outcomes

  • Any other current diagnosis of invasive cancer of any kind

  • Distant metastatic malignancy of any kind

  • Any other condition or intercurrent illness that, in the opinion of theinvestigator, makes the subject a poor candidate for study participation

Study Design

Total Participants: 33
Treatment Group(s): 1
Primary Treatment: Exercise
Phase:
Study Start date:
October 02, 2020
Estimated Completion Date:
October 02, 2026

Connect with a study center

  • Natera, Inc. (Data or Specimen Analysis Only)

    San Carlos, California 94070
    United States

    Site Not Available

  • Natera, Inc. (Data or Specimen Analysis Only)

    San Carlos 5391760, California 5332921 94070
    United States

    Site Not Available

  • Memoral Sloan Kettering Basking Ridge (Limited Protocol Activities)

    Basking Ridge, New Jersey 07920
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Basking Ridge (Limited Protocol Activities)

    Basking Ridge, New Jersey 07920
    United States

    Site Not Available

  • Memoral Sloan Kettering Monmouth (Limited Protocol Activities)

    Middletown, New Jersey 07748
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Monmouth (Limited Protocol Activities)

    Middletown, New Jersey 07748
    United States

    Site Not Available

  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Bergen (Limited Protocol Activities)

    Montvale, New Jersey 07645
    United States

    Site Not Available

  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Basking Ridge (Limited Protocol Activities)

    Basking Ridge 5095409, New Jersey 5101760 07920
    United States

    Site Not Available

  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Monmouth (Limited Protocol Activities)

    Middletown 5101170, New Jersey 5101760 07748
    United States

    Site Not Available

  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Bergen (Limited Protocol Activities)

    Montvale 5101361, New Jersey 5101760 07645
    United States

    Site Not Available

  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Commack (Limited Protocol Activities)

    Commack, New York 11725
    United States

    Site Not Available

  • Memoral Sloan Kettering Westchester (Limited Protocol Activities)

    Harrison, New York 10604
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Westchester (Limited Protocol Activities)

    Harrison, New York 10604
    United States

    Site Not Available

  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

    New York, New York 10065
    United States

    Site Not Available

  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Nassau (Limited Protocol Activities)

    Uniondale, New York 11553
    United States

    Site Not Available

  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Commack (Limited Protocol Activities)

    Commack 5113412, New York 5128638 11725
    United States

    Site Not Available

  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Westchester (Limited Protocol Activities)

    Harrison 5120095, New York 5128638 10604
    United States

    Site Not Available

  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

    New York 5128581, New York 5128638 10065
    United States

    Site Not Available

  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Nassau (Limited Protocol Activities)

    Uniondale 5141927, New York 5128638 11553
    United States

    Site Not Available

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