Exercise before liver surgery to lower colorectal cancer recurrence
Official title: Surgery triggered immune response and liver metastases
Funded at University of Virginia · NIH-11289466 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Exercise before liver surgery aims to calm harmful immune responses and reduce the chance colorectal cancer comes back in the liver for people with liver metastases.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Virginia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Charlottesville, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2018 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $404,645 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA214865-10 |
| Project ID | NIH-11289466 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with colorectal cancer who have or are planned to have liver metastasis surgery would be the primary candidates for related interventions or future trials.
✕Less likely to help
People without colorectal cancer, those not undergoing liver surgery, or individuals unable to do pre-operative exercise are unlikely to benefit from this work.
What this research studies
This project looks at how pre-operative exercise changes immune cells in the liver and tumor environment to make the body less likely to let cancer return after surgery. Researchers will analyze resident liver macrophages (Kupffer cells) and neutrophil-like suppressor cells, studying metabolic shifts such as itaconate-related reprogramming and the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). They will use tissue analyses including single-cell RNA sequencing and experimental models alongside surgical samples to link immune changes with recurrence risk. The aim is to identify how exercise creates an anti-inflammatory environment that could lower hepatic recurrence after colorectal cancer surgery.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lower the risk of liver recurrence after surgery and improve long-term outcomes for people with colorectal cancer that has spread to the liver.
How similar studies have gone: Pre-operative exercise has improved recovery and reduced inflammation in other major abdominal surgeries, and early data suggest it can blunt surgery-induced liver inflammation, but using it specifically to prevent liver metastasis recurrence is a newer application.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tsung, Allan — University of Virginia
- Study coordinator: Tsung, Allan
Related research
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This project looks at how immune cells and their neighborhoods behave in people with the common pMMR form of colon cancer to find ways to make immunotherapy work better.
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Exploring how surgery affects the immune response and liver cancer spread
This study is looking at how exercise before surgery can help people with colorectal cancer that has spread to the liver by boosting their immune system and reducing inflammation, which might lead to better recovery and lower chances of cancer coming back.
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.