How short aerobic workouts affect tumor cells in breast cancer survivors

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.

This will test whether a single session of moderate or high intensity aerobic exercise changes circulating myokines and tumor cell responses in premenopausal women who survived stage II–III triple‑negative breast cancer compared with matched healthy women.

Quick facts

• Phase: NA
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 40 (estimated)
• Ages: 35 Years and up
• Sex: Female
• Sponsor: Riga Stradins University (other)
• Drugs / interventions: chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation
• Locations: 1 site (Riga, Dzirciema Street 16)
• Trial ID: NCT07439458 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This interventional protocol compares the immediate biological effects of one session of moderate‑intensity versus high‑intensity continuous aerobic exercise on blood‑borne factors and tumor cell behavior. Premenopausal women who survived stage II–III triple‑negative breast cancer (3–9 months after completing treatment) and matched healthy control women will undergo cardiologist‑cleared exercise testing and supervised exercise sessions. Blood samples collected before and after exercise will be analyzed for myokine responses and applied to breast cancer cell lines to measure changes in tumor cell viability and signaling. The work will be performed at the Laboratory of Sports and Nutrition Research at Riga Stradins University.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are premenopausal women with stage II–III triple‑negative breast cancer who are 3–9 months post‑surgery/chemotherapy/radiation/immunotherapy and have cardiologist clearance including echocardiography.

Not a fit: Women who are pregnant, have autoimmune, endocrine, or cardiovascular diseases, have another cancer diagnosis, or are not medically cleared for exercise are excluded and unlikely to gain from this protocol.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the results could identify specific exercise intensities that trigger anti‑cancer biological signals and help tailor post‑treatment exercise programs for survivors.

How similar studies have performed: Preclinical studies and early human translational work suggest exercise‑induced myokines can influence cancer cell biology, but direct human-to‑cell‑line data after acute exercise are limited and this approach is relatively novel.

Eligibility criteria

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).

Where this trial is running

Riga, Dzirciema Street 16

• Laboratory of Sports and Nutrition Research — Riga, Dzirciema Street 16, Latvia (RECRUITING)

Study contacts

• Study coordinator: Dace Reihmane, PhD

Conditions: Acute Exercise, Breast Cancer Cell Lines, Breast Cancer Survivors, Healthy Women, Myokine Response