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Exercise to Boost Immunity in Advanced Cancer

Exercise to Boost Immunity in Advanced Cancer: Feasibility of Combined Aerobic Exercise and Resistance Training for Patients with Advanced Mesothelioma and Pancreatic Cancer

Status
Not yet recruiting
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT06310993
Acronym
BICEP
Enrollment
30
Registered
2024-03-15
Start date
2025-09-01
Completion date
2027-03-01
Last updated
2024-12-03

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Mesothelioma; Lung, Pancreatic Cancer

Brief summary

The trial is a prospective feasibility trial conducted in Sheffield. Recruitment will include twenty patients receiving first line palliative immunotherapy for advanced, unresectable or metastatic mesothelioma and patients receiving first line systemic anti-cancer treatment for pancreatic cancer. Patients will attend the AWRC for a supervised exercise session once a week to include aerobic exercise along with an unsupervised weekly exercise session for 3 months. Blood samples will be collected at baseline and then monthly for 3 months, pre and post the supervised exercise session. Cytokine, myokine and immune cell concentration will be analysed using cytokine bead-based multiplex immune assays and RNA-seq to full profile changes in gene and protein expression

Detailed description

Immunotherapy is rapidly revolutionising cancer care with ICIs demonstrating clinical efficacy in multiple cancer settings and are indicated in the peri-operative, advanced, and recurrent settings for various tumour types. Mesothelioma is classed as a hot tumour due to its lymphocyte rich tumour microenvironment which has demonstrated some clinical response to immunotherapy. On the other end of the spectrum, 'cold tumours' such as pancreatic cancer, have been shown to have low immune cell populations and reduced immune activity within their tumour microenvironments. Evidence suggests that in cancer patients, exercise improves overall health, may prolong survival as well as reduce cancer-related fatigue and modulate the immune system through multiple mechanisms. Physical activity is defined as 'any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles or that requires contraction of your muscles and energy expenditure. Exercise-induced leucocytosis refers to the immediate increase in circulatory leukocytes after a single exercise activity. The use of exercise as medicine requires an understanding of the appropriate dose which is highly dependent on the FITT principles (Frequency, Intensity, Time, and Type) and this is crucial for generating desired outcomes. Although ICIs have revolutionised treatment for many different cancers, less than 40% of patients derive significant benefit from ICIs which highlights the need to improve responsiveness The primary objective is to determine the feasibility of exercise during systemic anti-cancer treatment in patients with advanced mesothelioma or pancreatic cancer. The secondary objectives are: iTo determine the safety of exercise during systemic anti-cancer treatment in patients with advanced mesothelioma or pancreatic cancer. ii. To determine the acceptability of exercise during systemic anti-cancer treatment in patients with advanced mesothelioma or pancreatic cancer. iii. Does exercise boost immune cell activation in cancer patients? iv. To determine the effect of exercise on cytokine/ myokine levels in the blood v.To determine the effect of exercise on radiological response or progression. vi.To determine the effect of exercise on lung function.

Interventions

OTHERExercise

Exercise programme is the intervention for this study

Sponsors

Sheffield Hallam University
CollaboratorOTHER
University of Sheffield
CollaboratorOTHER
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Patients about to start or who are undergoing first line palliative immunotherapy for advanced, unresectable, or metastatic mesothelioma or patients about to start or who are undergoing first line palliative chemotherapy for advanced, unresectable, or metastatic pancreatic cancer. * Age over 18 years old * Histological or cytological diagnosis of mesothelioma or pancreatic cancer. * ECOG Performance status 0-1 (to be assessed by clinician) * Ability to provide informed consent

Exclusion criteria

* Prior treatment with systemic anti-cancer treatment * More than one primary cancer * Uncontrolled brain or bone metastases * Patients who have progressed on first line palliative immunotherapy for advanced, unresectable, or metastatic mesothelioma. * Patients who have progressed on first line palliative chemotherapy for advanced, unresectable, or metastatic pancreatic cancer. * Patients with active co-morbidities that would prevent or limit their participation in the exercise intervention * Age below 18 years old * No histological or cytological diagnosis of mesothelioma or pancreatic cancer. * ECOG Performance status of 2 or more * Unable to provide informed consent

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Primary Outcome Measurecompletion of the 12-week exercise interventionAdherence rate: The ratio of the number of exercise sessions performed to the number of exercise sessions planned.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Secondary Outcome 2completion of the 12-week exercise interventionAcceptability rate: the ratio of those recruited to the trial to those approached as eligible.
Secondary Outcome 3completion of the 12-week exercise interventionAttrition rate: the ratio of dropouts from the trial to those enrolled initially.
Secondary Outcome 4Baseline, then 4-weekly pre- and post- exercise interventions for 12 weeks and then at completion of the 12-week exercise interventionPeripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in the blood. Immune cell activation will be determined by an increased in cytotoxic immune components (Natural Killer cells / CD8 T cells) and a decrease in immunosuppressive immune cells (regulatory T cells).
Secondary outcome 1completion of the 12-week exercise interventionThe number of directly related adverse events.
Secondary Outcome 6Baseline and at 12 weeksEvidence of radiological response or progression as per RECIST 1.1 reporting of CT scans
Secondary Outcome 7Baseline and at 12 weeksLung function as per results of lung function tests
Secondary Outcome 5Baseline, then 4-weekly pre- and post- exercise interventions for 12 weeks and then at completion of the 12-week exercise intervention.The levels of cytokines/ myokines in the blood

Countries

United Kingdom

Contacts

Primary ContactBrindley Hapuarachi, MD
sbhapuarachchi1@sheffield.ac.uk07809741940
Backup ContactGrace Cole
sth.researchadministration@nhs.net

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026