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NCT Number: NCT04816006

Breast Cancer, Reasoning, and Activity Intervention

This phase II trial tests whether an exercise intervention works to improve cognitive function in breast cancer survivors. Many breast cancer survivors report cancer-related cognitive impairment, which this has recently become a priority in clinical research due to its dramatic impact on daily functioning, quality of life, and long-term health. Aerobic exercise has the potential to improve cognitive function and brain health in older adults and is recommended as a safe, tolerable, and accessible complementary therapy for breast cancer survivors. This study aims to understand the effects of physical activity compared with health education on memory, attention, and brain health in women with breast cancer. Study findings may help researchers design more programs that can improve memory, attention, and brain health in other women with breast cancer.

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Key information

Conditions

Breast Cancer Anatomic Stage I Breast Cancer AJCC v8 Anatomic Stage II Breast Cancer AJCC v8 Anatomic Stage IIIA Breast Cancer AJCC v8 Behavior Breast Diseases Breast Neoplasms Cancer-related Cognitive Dysfunction Motor Activity Neoplasms Neoplasms by Site Skin Diseases Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases

Age range

50 year and older

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

About this study

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

I. Examine the effectiveness of a 6-month, community-based aerobic exercise intervention on multiple indicators of cognitive function in breast cancer survivors (BCS) aged 50 and older (N=160).

II. Gather information on the intervention's potential for scalability using the Reach Effectiveness Adoption Implementation Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework.

EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVES:

I. Explore potential moderators and mediators of the effects of aerobic exercise training on cognitive function.

II. Investigate the feasibility of urinary metabolites as biomarkers of overall diet patterns.

OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 arms.

ARM I: Patients attend 3 weekly exercise sessions over 60-75 minutes per week in weeks 1-2, 2 sessions over 70-70 each week in weeks 3-4, 1 session over 90-120 minutes each week in weeks 5-8, biweekly sessions over 120-150 per week across weeks 9-16, and monthly sessions over at least 150 minutes per week in weeks 17-24 for a total of 20 supervised sessions. Patients undergo a gait assessment and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as well as wear an accelerometer throughout the study.

ARM II: Patients participate in up to 9 monthly classes/webinars. Patients also receive informational portable document format (pdfs), videos, and/or podcasts, and a one-year subscription to the Mayo Clinic Health Letter. Patients undergo a gait assessment and MRI, as well as wear an accelerometer throughout the study.

After completion of study intervention, patients are followed up with at 6 months.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • PRE-REGISTRATION: Age ≥50 years at time of pre-registration visit according to participant report and/or clinical determination
  • PRE-REGISTRATION: First, primary diagnosis of stage I-IIIa breast cancer according to participant report and/or clinical determination
  • PRE-REGISTRATION: Post-surgery and completed primary treatment (i.e., surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation therapy) 3-36 months prior to registration according to participant report and/or clinical determination
  • PRE-REGISTRATION: Sedentary except for casual lifestyle recreation defined as self-reporting no more than 90 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise within the last 6 months
  • PRE-REGISTRATION: Self-reported ability to complete assessments by themselves or with assistance
  • REGISTRATION: Age ≥50 years as confirmed via clinical determination
  • REGISTRATION: Able to provide medical record release to confirm eligibility
  • REGISTRATION: First, primary diagnosis of stage I-IIIa breast cancer as confirmed via clinical determination
  • REGISTRATION: Post-surgery and completed primary treatment (i.e., surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation therapy) 3-36 months prior to pre-registration as confirmed via clinical determination
  • REGISTRATION: No evidence of possible cognitive impairment as assessed using the Telephone Interview of Cognitive status (13-item modified version) (TICS-M; score > 21) NOTE: Only individuals who pass the TICS-M during pre-registration will be invited to participate in the urine substudy
  • REGISTRATION: Receive physician's clearance to participate in an exercise program

NOTE: Individuals with conditions/diagnoses deemed important by the primary investigator will be required to provide clearance for exercise from their cardiologist. Example conditions include:

  • History of major multiple myocardial infarctions (MI)
  • Recent electrocardiogram (ECG) changes or recent MI
  • Resting or unstable angina
  • Significant multivessel coronary occlusion (≥ 70%) on angiography
  • Uncontrolled and/or serious arrhythmias
  • 3rd degree heart block
  • Acute congestive heart failure or ejection fraction < 30%
  • REGISTRATION: Ability to complete assessments by themselves or with assistance

Exclusion criteria

  • PRE-REGISTRATION: Stage 0 breast cancer diagnosis OR metastatic disease
  • PRE-REGISTRATION: Currently receiving or < 3 months since receiving chemotherapy or radiation therapy for cancer, or greater than 36 months post primary treatment
  • PRE-REGISTRATION: Planned surgery during the intervention period
  • PRE-REGISTRATION: Second cancer diagnosis (excluding non-invasive skin cancers or carcinoma-in-situ for any cancer)
  • PRE-REGISTRATION: Unable to travel regularly to the study locations for intervention sessions and data collection
  • PRE-REGISTRATION: Unwilling to return to enrolling institution for follow-up
  • PRE-REGISTRATION: Self-reported inability to walk without assistance or devices
  • REGISTRATION: History of stroke, transient ischemic attack, other neurological disorders, or brain surgery involving tissue removal as confirmed via clinical determination
  • REGISTRATION: Clinically significant TICS-M score (< 21) during baseline procedures
  • REGISTRATION: Not able to provide physician re-clearance for exercise if required based upon clinically significant baseline exercise test (as determined by ECG and blood pressure monitoring)
  • REGISTRATION: Contraindications to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in accordance with the Mayo Clinic Department of Radiology safety protocols
  • REGISTRATION: Clinically significant MRI scan as determined by physician review in which the following is advised via radiologist overread: remarkable/abnormal limited diagnostic brain image with recommended medical follow-up
  • REGISTRATION: Enrolled in another physical activity program
  • REGISTRATION: Unable to walk without assistance or devices
  • REGISTRATION: Unwilling to complete study requirements
  • REGISTRATION: Unwilling to be randomized to the exercise group or health education group
  • REGISTRATION: Unable or unwilling to continuously wear and regularly sync/charge an activity tracker during the study period
  • REGISTRATION: Unable to travel regularly to the study locations for intervention sessions and data collection
  • REGISTRATION: Unwilling to return to enrolling institution for follow-up

Treatment and study plan

Aerobic Exercise Training

Behavioral

Breast cancer survivors in the intervention group will participate in a 24-week moderate intensity exercise program led by community-based fitness center personal trainers. Individually-tailored exercise prescriptions will be developed based upon each participant's baseline maximal graded exercise test (heart rate corresponding with %VO2 peak) and symptom limitation. Sessions will be progressive in nature such that the volume of exercise increases across weeks. Treadmill walking is the primary mode of exercise. However, participants will be permitted to use other cardiovascular equipment (e.g., elliptical machines, stationary bicycles) as prescribed by their exercise trainer. The trainer will supervise three weekly exercise sessions in Weeks 1-2, two in Weeks 3-4, one in Weeks 5-8, biweekly across weeks 9-16, and monthly in Weeks 17-24 (N=20 supervised sessions).

Health Education (Active comparator)

Other

Breast cancer survivors in the Health Education group will participate in education sessions with a health educator and receive monthly newsletters/webinars (N=20 total contacts) across 24 weeks. The program will include cancer support and discussion of cancer-related wellness topics (e.g., stress management, coping). Control group participants will be offered a 6-month fitness center membership upon study completion.

Other names: Control Group

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in inhibitory control

    Time frame: baseline (Month 0), post-intervention (month 6), follow up (month 12)

    Change in interference score on Stroop task, with positive values indicating greater inhibitory control.

  2. Change in cognitive flexibility

    Time frame: baseline (Month 0), post-intervention (month 6), follow up (month 12)

    Change in accuracy on Shifting Attention task, with higher values indicating greater cognitive flexibility

  3. Change in executive function processing

    Time frame: baseline (Month 0), post-intervention (month 6), follow up (month 12)

    Change in reaction time on Shifting Attention task, with lower values indicating greater cognitive flexibility

  4. Change in short-term memory

    Time frame: baseline (Month 0), post-intervention (month 6), follow up (month 12)

    Change in accuracy on Visual Memory task, with higher accuracy indicating greater short-term memory

  5. Change in verbal memory

    Time frame: baseline (Month 0), post-intervention (month 6), follow up (month 12)

    Change in number recalled on Hopkins Verbal Learning task, with higher values indicating greater verbal memory

  6. Change in working memory

    Time frame: baseline (Month 0), post-intervention (month 6), follow up (month 12)

    Change in reaction time the 4-part Continuous Performance task, with lower values indicating greater working memory

  7. Change in brain volume

    Time frame: baseline (Month 0), post-intervention (month 6)

    Change in mean cortical thickness of brain regions of interest as measured by an anatomic MRI brain scan

  8. Change in white matter integrity

    Time frame: baseline (Month 0), post-intervention (month 6)

    Change in fractional anisotropy as measured by diffusion MRI.

  9. Change in resting state functional connectivity

    Time frame: baseline (Month 0), post-intervention (month 6)

    Change in within-network pairwise correlation estimates as measured using a multiband echo planar imaging (mb-EPI) functional MRI sequence

  10. Change in self-reported cognitive function

    Time frame: baseline (Month 0), post-intervention (month 6), follow up (month 12)

    The perceived cognitive impairments subscale of the Functional Assessment in Cancer Therapy - Cognition (FACT-Cog) will be used to measure self-reported cognition. Scores range from 0-72, with higher scores indicating better cognitive function.

  11. Reach

    Time frame: baseline (Month 0)

    Participation rate among eligible individuals contacted about the study.

  12. Adoption

    Time frame: post-intervention (month 6)

    Sociodemographics questionnaire to describe demographics characteristics and experience among personal trainers

  13. Change in Cardiorespiratory Fitness

    Time frame: baseline (Month 0), post-intervention (month 6), follow up (month 12)

    Change in Peak VO2 as measured by a modified Balke treadmill graded exercise test protocol.

  14. Change in Cancer-related Fatigue

    Time frame: baseline (Month 0), post-intervention (month 6), follow up (month 12)

    The Functional Assessment in Chronic Illness Therapy (FACIT) - Fatigue Scale will be used to measure cancer-related fatigue. Scores range from 0-52, with higher scores indicating less cancer-related fatigue.

  15. Implementation

    Time frame: post-intervention (month 6)

    Percent of session checklist items completed as intended

  16. Maintenance

    Time frame: follow up (month 12)

    The number of participants who withdraw during the follow-up period.

  17. Change in processing speed

    Time frame: baseline (Month 0), post-intervention (month 6), follow up (month 12)

    Change in reaction time on Symbol Digit Coding task, with lower values indicating greater processing speed

  18. Change in attention

    Time frame: baseline (Month 0), post-intervention (month 6), follow up (month 12)

    Change in choice reaction time on Continuous Performance task, with lower values indicating greater sustained attention

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Clinical Trials Referral Office

CONTACT

[email protected]

855-776-0015

Melissa Cole, MS

CONTACT

[email protected]

480-574-4052

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Mayo Clinic

Other

Collaborators

  • National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Registry information

Official study title

Enhancing Cognitive Function in Breast Cancer Survivors Through Community-based Exercise Training

Acronym: BRAIN

Important dates

Study start
2024
Primary completion
2028
Study completion
2028
First posted
Mar 25, 2021
Registry last updated
Jun 12, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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