NCT05356117

Brief Summary

The purpose of this research is to determine whether a virtually supervised resistance exercise (RE) intervention combined with protein supplementation (PS) is feasible in pancreatic cancer patients initiating chemotherapy and if it will improve skeletal muscle mass. The names of the study interventions involved in this study are:

  • Resistance training and protein supplement intake (RE + PS)
  • Resistance training (RE)
  • Attention control (AC), home-based stretching

Trial Health

77
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
45

participants targeted

Target at P25-P50 for not_applicable pancreatic-cancer

Timeline
15mo left

Started Sep 2022

Typical duration for not_applicable pancreatic-cancer

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
recruiting

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Progress74%
Sep 2022Aug 2027

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

April 15, 2022

Completed
17 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

May 2, 2022

Completed
4 months until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

September 1, 2022

Completed
4.4 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

January 31, 2027

Expected
7 months until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

August 15, 2027

Last Updated

February 19, 2026

Status Verified

February 1, 2026

Enrollment Period

4.4 years

First QC Date

April 15, 2022

Last Update Submit

February 17, 2026

Conditions

Keywords

Pancreatic Cancer

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

  • Exercise Session Attendance Rate

    The primary outcome is feasibility. Feasibility of the resistance exercise (RE) +protein supplementation (PS) intervention will be defined as the proportion of exercise sessions attended and consumption of the PS. The intervention is considered feasible if the proportion of enrolled participants who complete the exercise sessions and daily PS is ≥70%, respectively.

    Evaluating change between baseline, mid-intervention, and post-intervention (up to 16 weeks)

  • Protein Supplementation (PS) Rate

    The primary outcome is feasibility. Feasibility of the resistance exercise (RE) +protein supplementation (PS) intervention will be defined as the proportion of exercise sessions attended and consumption of the PS. The intervention is considered feasible if the proportion of enrolled participants who complete the exercise sessions and daily PS is ≥70%, respectively.

    Evaluating change between baseline, mid-intervention, and post-intervention (up to 16 weeks)

Secondary Outcomes (19)

  • Skeletal Muscle Mass Change

    Evaluating change between baseline, mid-intervention, and post-intervention (up to 16 weeks)

  • Tissue Wasting Biomarker Change

    Evaluating change between baseline, mid-intervention, and post-intervention (up to 16 weeks)

  • Physical function - Margaria Stair Climb

    Evaluating change between baseline, mid-intervention, and post-intervention (up to 16 weeks)

  • Muscular Strength

    Evaluating change between baseline, mid-intervention, and post-intervention (up to 16 weeks)

  • Physical Fitness - Performance

    Evaluating change between baseline, mid-intervention, and post-intervention (up to 16 weeks)

  • +14 more secondary outcomes

Study Arms (3)

Resistance Training (RT) and Protein Supplementation (PS)

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will be randomly assigned to the Resistance Training (RT) and Protein Supplementation (PS) group and receive virtually (Zoom) supervised home-based exercise program 3-days a week with daily protein supplementation for the duration of their chemotherapy with a maximum of 16-weeks of exercise. Exercises will be tailored to the participants' fitness levels. Sessions will last \~60 minutes including 5-minute warm-up and 5-minute cool-down. Participants will also have two body composition scans using CT over the span of chemotherapy treatment (maximum 16 weeks) and approximately 3 hours of evaluation of testing on 3 occasions.

Behavioral: Resistance Training (RT) and Protein Supplementation (PS)

Resistance Training (RT)

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will be randomly assigned to the Resistance Training (RT) group and receive virtually (Zoom) supervised home-based exercise program 3-days a week. Exercises will be tailored to the participants' fitness levels. Participants will also have two body composition scans using CT over the span of chemotherapy treatment (maximum 16 weeks) and approximately 3 hours of evaluation of testing on 3 occasions.

Behavioral: Resistance Training (RT)

Attention Control (AC)

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants will be randomly assigned to the Attention Control (AC) group and receive instruction on a home-based, 3 days a week stretching program. Participants will also have two body composition scans using CT over the span of chemotherapy treatment (maximum 16 weeks) and approximately 3 hours of evaluation of testing on 3 occasions. The attention control group will be given the option to participate in the exercise intervention after their treatment is completed, with a cap of a 16-week period.

Behavioral: Attention Control (AC

Interventions

Aerobic and resistance exercise

Resistance Training (RT)

Stretching

Attention Control (AC)

Aerobic and resistance exercise with orally consumed pre-packed protein supplement

Resistance Training (RT) and Protein Supplementation (PS)

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years+
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Non-metastatic pancreatic cancer patients initiating neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
  • Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document.
  • Over the age of 18 years; children under the age of 18 will be excluded due to rarity of disease.
  • Speak English or Spanish.
  • Able to provide physician clearance to participate in the exercise program.
  • Able to initiate a supervised exercise program (free from any cardiovascular, respiratory or musculoskeletal disease or joint problems that preclude moderate physical activity).
  • Currently participate in less than or equal to 60 minutes of structured moderate or vigorous exercise/week.
  • Does not smoke (no smoking during previous 12 months).
  • Willing to travel to DFCI for assessments.

You may not qualify if:

  • Patients should not have any uncontrolled illness including ongoing or active infection, uncontrolled diabetes, hypertension or thyroid disease.
  • Patients may not be receiving any other investigational agents.
  • Patients with other active malignancies are ineligible for this study.
  • Patients with metastatic disease.
  • History of any musculoskeletal, cardiorespiratory or neurological diseases that preclude the participation in exercise.
  • Patients expected to receive other cancer directed treatments during the study and assessment period.
  • Participates in more than 60 minutes of structured moderate or vigorous exercise/week.
  • Currently smokes.
  • Subjects, who in the opinion of the investigator, may not be able to comply with the safety monitoring requirements of the study.
  • Is unable to travel to DFCI for assessments.
  • Patients who are pregnant due to the unknown effects of exercise on the developing fetus.

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

Dana Farber Cancer Institute

Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Pancreatic Neoplasms

Interventions

Resistance Training

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Digestive System NeoplasmsNeoplasms by SiteNeoplasmsEndocrine Gland NeoplasmsDigestive System DiseasesPancreatic DiseasesEndocrine System Diseases

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Exercise TherapyRehabilitationAftercareContinuity of Patient CarePatient CareTherapeuticsPhysical Therapy ModalitiesPhysical Conditioning, HumanExerciseMotor ActivityMovementMusculoskeletal Physiological PhenomenaMusculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena

Study Officials

  • Christina M Dieli-Conwright, PhD, MPH

    Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Christina M Dieli-Conwright, PhD, MPH

CONTACT

Christina M Dieli-Conwright, PhD, MPH

CONTACT

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
NONE
Purpose
SCREENING
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

April 15, 2022

First Posted

May 2, 2022

Study Start

September 1, 2022

Primary Completion (Estimated)

January 31, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

August 15, 2027

Last Updated

February 19, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-02

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will share

The Dana-Farber / Harvard Cancer Center encourages and supports the responsible and ethical sharing of data from clinical trials. De-identified participant data from the final research dataset used in the published manuscript may only be shared under the terms of a Data Use Agreement. Requests may be directed to: \[contact information for Sponsor Investigator or designee\]. The protocol and statistical analysis plan will be made available on Clinicaltrials.gov only as required by federal regulation or as a condition of awards and agreements supporting the research.

Shared Documents
STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP, ICF
Time Frame
Data can be shared no earlier than 1 year following the date of publication
Access Criteria
Contact the Belfer Office for Dana-Farber Innovations (BODFI) at innovation@dfci.harvard.edu

Locations