Using an inexpensive supplement and exercise to boost cancer-fighting immune cells
Official title: Researching Economical Adjuvants to Cancer Therapy
Run by Florida State University · NCT07305259 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers will test whether taking daily beta-glucan for four weeks, with or without a single bout of exercise, helps healthy adults' immune cells recognize cancer cells better.
Quick facts
| Phase | Early Phase 1 |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Ages | 18 Years to 45 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 60 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Florida State University Academic / other |
| Drugs / interventions | ipilimumab, pembrolizumab, monalizumab, immunotherapy |
| Locations | 1 site (Tallahassee, Florida) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | November 12, 2025 |
| Main results expected | September 30, 2029 |
| Study ends | September 30, 2029 |
| Registry record updated | December 26, 2025 |
| Trial ID | NCT07305259 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Healthy adults who can safely perform maximal exercise, are not taking medications or having conditions that affect immune function, and can attend in-person visits would be ideal candidates.
✕Probably not a fit
People with diabetes, autoimmune or overt cardiovascular/respiratory/neurological disease, recent tobacco use, pregnancy, or those on immune-modulating medications would likely be excluded and not expected to benefit from this protocol.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This randomized, placebo-controlled early-phase trial gives healthy adults daily beta-glucan or a matching placebo for four weeks and includes three laboratory exercise sessions with blood sampling. Investigators will analyze how immune cells interact with cancer targets at the receptor-ligand level and measure changes in immune cell populations after acute exercise. The protocol includes laboratory assessments of how these changes might affect responses to existing immunotherapies such as ipilimumab and pembrolizumab, using ex vivo assays rather than administering those drugs to participants. The focus is mechanistic: to see whether a low-cost dietary adjuvant plus exercise can meaningfully change immune behavior relevant to cancer therapy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could provide a low-cost way to strengthen immune responses against cancer and potentially improve how well immunotherapies work.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work shows beta-glucan and acute exercise can each boost certain immune markers, but combining them to enhance cancer-targeting immune responses is largely novel and not yet proven.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Physically fit enough to engage in maximal exercise. Exclusion Criteria: * BMI \> 40 kg/m2 * Stage 2 hypertension (140/90 mmHg) * Type I or II diabetes * Autoimmune diseases * Overt cardiovascular, respiratory, or neurological disease (e.g., previous heart attack, pacemaker, heart failure, asthma) * Hormone replacement therapy (e.g., androgens, estrogens) * Daily medication usage that may affect immune function (e.g., beta blockers, NSAIDs, corticosteroids, allergy medications) * Current antibiotic use * Heavy alcohol usage (\>2 drinks per day) * Tobacco use within the last 6 months * Adults unable to consent * Individuals who are not yet adults (infants, children, teenagers) * Self-reported pregnancy * Prisoners
Where it's running
-
Institute of Sports Sciences and Medicine
Tallahassee, Florida, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Kyle A Smith, PhD, RD
- Email: k.smith@fsu.edu
- Phone: 850-644-1016
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
Can tACS modulate motivation and reward signals in cannabis use disorder and depression
We’re testing whether a gentle brain stimulation method (tACS) can boost motivation and reward responses in adults with cannabis use and/or depression to see if it helps with anhedonia.
-
Real-World Episodic Memory: Test self-generated cues on memory recall
Researchers are testing whether replaying self-made memory cues on a smartphone can help people see if they can better recall personal events.
-
Brain imaging to study memory and personal recollections
Researchers are testing how cues and smartphone-replayed memories relate to brain activity in people, to understand autobiographical memory and hippocampal function.
-
Central Executive Training and Behavioral Parent Training for Young Children with ADHD
This study tests Central Executive Training (CET) alone and CET combined with Behavioral Parent Training (BPT) to help young children with ADHD.
-
Ketone supplement for cognition and marksmanship under stress in SWAT members
This study tests whether a ketone supplement (KetoneIQ) helps SWAT team members maintain cognitive function and shooting accuracy under physical stress.
-
Effects of Potassium on Blood Vessel Health in Older Adults With High Salt Intake
This study tests whether increasing potassium can help keep blood vessels healthy in older adults who eat a lot of sodium.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.