Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Recruiting

NCT Number: NCT07439458

Tumour Cell Response to Acute Aerobic Exercise in Breast Cancer Survivors: Modulatory Effects of Exercise Type and Intensity

Cancer has emerged as a prominent cause of mortality in the 21st century, with breast cancer (BC) being the most diagnosed malignancy. Multidisciplinary cancer management has improved survival chances, but side effects and long-term consequences of treatments have significant implications for cancer survivors' health-related quality of life. Exercise is increasingly considered and used in cancer treatment and follow-up. However, studies demonstrating the biological mechanisms underlying the anticarcinogenic effects (ACE) of exercise are insufficient to justify the most appropriate physical activity for different clinical scenarios. Achieving scientific excellence in understanding the ACE of exercise in cancer management is critical to optimize treatment and enhance patients' quality of life.

Recruiting

Interested in participating?

Request Info

Key information

Conditions

Acute Exercise Breast Cancer Cell Lines Breast Cancer Survivors Healthy Women Myokine Response

Age range

35 year and older

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Inclusion criteria

(intervention group):

  • Reproductive age (premenopausal);
  • Diagnosis of Stage II-III Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) (negative for estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2));
  • Timeframe of 3 to 9 months after completion of surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and/or immunotherapy;
  • Physician-certified (cardiologist) physical fitness for exercise testing, supported by echocardiography (ECHO).

Inclusion criteria

(control group):

  • Reproductive age (premenopausal);
  • No current or prior diagnosis of any type of cancer;
  • Matched by age, body constitution, and physical fitness to the breast cancer participant group.

Exclusion criteria

  • Pregnancy;
  • Autoimmune diseases (e.g., thyroiditis, inflammatory bowel disease, atopic dermatitis, etc.);
  • Endocrine disorders (e.g., metabolic syndrome, diabetes);
  • Cardiovascular diseases;
  • Diagnosis of any other type of oncological disease;
  • Any condition for which physical activity is contraindicated (e.g., asthma, COPD, spinal disc herniation, severe iron deficiency anemia).

Treatment and study plan

High intensity continuous exercise

Other

30 minutes of continuous exercise at 75% of VO2max, additionally 15 minutes of warm-up to reach specific workload.

Moderate intensity continuous exercise

Other

30 minutes of continuous exercise at 45% of VO2max, additionally 15 minutes of warm-up to reach specific workload.

Primary outcomes

  1. Inhibition of Breast Cancer Cell Proliferation

    Time frame: 24 hours following cell exposure to serum collected at baseline (5 minutes pre-exercise) and immediately post-exercise (final minute of exercise).

    The inhibitory effect of exercise-conditioned serum (ECS) on the proliferation of breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231, HCC1937, HCC1143, and SK-BR-3). Proliferation is measured as the percentage of viable cells after 24 hours of exposure to serum collected during exercise compared to baseline (pre-exercise) serum samples, using LIVE/DEAD fluorescence microscopy and FM CellHealth assays.

  2. Changes in Serum Myokine Concentrations

    Time frame: Blood samples were collected 5 minutes pre-exercise (baseline), 15, 30, and 45 minutes (final minute of exercise) at Day 8 (Visit 2) and Day 15 (Visit 3).

    Measurement of serum levels of six specific myokines (BDNF, SPARC, Oncostatin M, IL-6, FGF-21, and Decorin) known to exhibit anticarcinogenic effects. Concentrations will be determined using ELISA or xMAP technology.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Correlation Between Body Composition and Myokine Response

    Time frame: Day 1 (Visit 1): Baseline measurements (measured once during the initial screening). All measures were performed in the morning, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., after overnight fasting.

    Assessment of how body composition parameters - specifically fat mass, lean soft tissue mass, visceral fat, measured via Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) - correlate with the magnitude of exercise-induced myokine fluctuations.

Study contacts

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

Dace Reihmane, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

+37126032249

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Riga Stradins University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Tumour Cell Response to Acute Aerobic Exercise in Breast Cancer Survivors: Modulatory Effects of Exercise Type and Intensity (TCReX) No: RSU/LSPA-PA-2024/1-0004 is Financed by the Investment of the European Union Recovery and Resilience Facility and the State Budget Within the Project "RSU Internal and RSU With LASE External Consolidation" No. 5.2.1.1.i.0/2/24/I/CFLA/005.

Acronym: TCReX

Important dates

Study start
2024
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Feb 27, 2026
Registry last updated
May 14, 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.

Related clinical trials

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.