Dose levels of aerobic exercise during cancer therapy for rectal cancer
Official title: Dose-response of aerobic training during total neoadjuvant therapy for locally advanced rectal cancer
Funded at Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research · NIH-11325432 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A personalized exercise plan is tested to see how different amounts of aerobic training affect how well people with locally advanced rectal cancer tolerate their treatment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | May 6, 2022 |
| Project end | April 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,244,214 |
| NIH project number | 5U01CA271287-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11325432 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with locally advanced rectal cancer who are about to start total neoadjuvant therapy and who currently engage in less than 60 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who cannot participate in moderate exercise due to medical or safety concerns may not benefit from the intervention.
What this research studies
This study tests three different weekly amounts of aerobic exercise (90, 150, or 300 minutes) in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer starting total neoadjuvant therapy. It aims to find the dose of exercise that best supports staying on the prescribed treatment by monitoring tolerability and related health outcomes. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of the three exercise doses and will follow their regimen from before treatment through to around the time of surgery. The trial will stratify participants by sex and age to ensure balanced groups and will assess safety, hematological function, and quality of life alongside treatment completion.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could guide personalized exercise prescriptions to improve treatment tolerance for rectal cancer patients.
How similar studies have gone: Prior trials suggest aerobic training can improve physical function and well-being; this study seeks to extend those findings to treatment tolerability in a specific cancer setting.
Where this research is happening
-
Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Scott, Jessica — Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research
- Study coordinator: Scott, Jessica
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Effects of aerobic training on cancer treatment tolerability in rectal cancer patients
This study is looking at how different amounts of aerobic exercise can help people with locally advanced rectal cancer feel better and handle their treatment more easily, and it’s designed for patients who are about to start their cancer therapy.
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Blood tests to predict who will respond to pre-surgery therapy for locally advanced rectal cancer
A blood-based test is being developed to predict which patients with locally advanced rectal cancer will respond to neoadjuvant chemoradiation before surgery.
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Predicting who responds to preoperative therapy for rectal cancer using combined photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging
A study is testing a new imaging method to better predict which locally advanced rectal cancer patients will respond to preoperative treatment so some may avoid unnecessary surgery.
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Tucatinib and trastuzumab given before other treatments for HER2‑positive rectal cancer
People with HER2‑positive locally advanced rectal cancer will receive tucatinib plus trastuzumab up front to shrink tumors and possibly avoid radiation or surgery.
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Identifying blood markers to predict treatment response in rectal cancer patients
This study is looking at how a new blood test can help doctors figure out which patients with locally advanced rectal cancer will respond well to their treatment before they start, so they can tailor the therapy to each person and avoid unnecessary side effects.
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Using advanced imaging to predict treatment response in rectal cancer
This study is looking to help people with locally advanced rectal cancer by using new imaging methods to better understand how well they respond to treatment before surgery, which could help doctors make smarter choices and possibly spare some patients from unnecessary operations.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.