Clinical trial · Interventional
Effects of Diet and Exercise on Ductal Carcinoma in Situ
Exploring Effects of Weight Loss on Ductal Carcinoma In Situ
- Source
- ClinicalTrials.gov
- Retrieved
- Sep 8, 2026
- Layer
- normalized (units and labels harmonized; values unchanged)
- Run
- ING-CLINICALTRIALS-20260908-000001
Summary
Brief summary (as posted)
This pilot/feasibility trial seeks to explore whether an acute bout of negative energy balance prior to surgery affects biomarkers of neoplasia. Forty overweight or obese postmenopausal women diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) or early stage breast cancer (Stage I or II) who elect mastectomy or lumpectomy will be randomly assigned to 1-of-2 study arms: 1) an Attention Control Group that receives instruction on dietary approaches to correct nutritional deficiencies and progressive resistance training (PRT) that targets the arm ipsilateral to the affected breast; or 2) an Experimental Group that will receive PRT and guidance to correct nutritional deficiencies plus an intensive intervention to promote a 1.5-2 pound/week weight loss through diet, exercise, and behavior modification. This study will explore and contrast changes in body mass index (BMI) observed from enrollment to the time of surgery in the experimental vs. attention control arms, and also monitor changes in energy intake and physical activity. These changes will be studied in relation to the following endpoints: a) changes in select circulating biomarkers and gene expression related to cancer progression, hormonal status, inflammation and other energy-related factors; b) rates of tumor proliferation and apoptosis; c) tumor markers, e.g., insulin receptor, Vascular Epithelial Growth Factor (VEGF), Nuclear Factor kappa beta (NFkB), and phosphoproteins associated with the Convergence of Hormones, Inflammation and Energy-Rated Factors (CHIEF) pathway; and d) functional and health-related outcomes. Because both tumor tissue and blood will be examined from pre-to-post-intervention, this study will provide exciting new data that can elucidate pathways by which energy balance affects breast cancer progression. Although longer term weight loss is recommended for overweight and obese breast cancer survivors, it is not known whether placing the body in a state of negative energy balance will have a favorable impact on the tumor. If beneficial changes in tumor biology and the host environment occur with short-term, pre-surgical weight loss, this study provides proof of concept that weight loss may offer an acceptable and complementary treatment option that could be combined with standard therapies.
Conditions
Conditions (2)
Free-text conditions as registered, with the CancerIndex entity they were reconciled to and the match type.
| Condition (as posted) | Mapped entity | Match | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breast Cancer | Malignant Breast Neoplasm | CURATED_EXACT | 0.92 |
| Ductal Carcinoma In Situ | Breast Ductal Carcinoma In Situ | ALIAS | 0.90 |
Interventions
Interventions (2)
| Intervention | Type | Mapped drug | Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active Comparator: Progressive Resistance Training (PRT) and a healthy diet | Behavioral | — | UNRESOLVED |
| Experimental: PRT and a healthy diet, plus weight loss | Behavioral | — | UNRESOLVED |
Design
Arms and outcomes
Arms (2)
- type
- ACTIVE_COMPARATOR
- label
- Progressive Resistance Training (PRT) and a healthy diet
- description
- PRT will be done with resistance bands; participants will receive instruction on three resistance band exercises (triceps, biceps, and shoulder overhead) from an American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) certified exercise specialist. Participants also will receive dietary counseling from a registered dietitian on correcting nutrient deficiencies that are detected during analysis of their 2-day dietary recalls.
- interventionNames
- Behavioral: Active Comparator: Progressive Resistance Training (PRT) and a healthy diet
- type
- EXPERIMENTAL
- label
- PRT and a healthy diet, plus weight loss
- description
- This arm will receive all components of the active comparator arm, plus counseling to achieve a weight loss of 1.5-2 pounds/week. Participants will be trained on how to achieve this caloric deficit through both dietary restriction and increased physical activity. Weight loss will be promoted via a healthy, nutritionally adequate diet consistent with American Cancer Society guidelines. Protein levels will be based on 0.8 g/kg body weight. The distribution of food groups will be customized for preferences. An exercise program will be tailored taking into account kcal expenditure for various activities at a specific body weight; expenditures of 200-400 kcal/day will serve as a goal. Aerobic training of large muscles (legs) will be emphasized to achieve a greater kcal deficit; ramping of intensity and volume over time will be pursued as per the ACSM guidelines. Participants will train once weekly while supervised by an exercise physiologist and daily at home.
Eligibility
Eligibility (as posted)
- Sex
- Female
- Minimum age
- 19 Years
Show eligibility criteria text
Inclusion Criteria: * Postmenopausal women with intermediate-to-high nuclear grade DCIS or stage I or II breast cancer who elect surgery and who have \>3-week lag-time between the start of the intervention and their scheduled surgery; * Overweight or obese (BMI:25-60); * English speaking/reading * Willing to be assigned to either study arm Exclusion Criteria: * Have a pre-existing medical condition(s) that preclude adherence to unsupervised exercise; * Have a current medical condition that affects weight status; * Has an active malignancy, other than DCIS, invasive breast cancer, or non-melanoma skin cancer; * Currently enrolled in a weight loss program * Have received or scheduled to receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy prior to mastectomy or lumpectomy
References
Publications (3)
- DERIVEDSmith KS, Fruge AD, van der Pol W, Caston NE, Morrow CD, Demark-Wahnefried W, Carson TL. Gut microbial differences in breast and prostate cancer cases from two randomised controlled trials compared to matched cancer-free controls. Benef Microbes. 2021 Jun 15;12(3):239-248. doi: 10.3920/BM2020.0098. Epub 2021 Apr 1. PMID 33789551
- DERIVEDFruge AD, Van der Pol W, Rogers LQ, Morrow CD, Tsuruta Y, Demark-Wahnefried W. Fecal Akkermansia muciniphila Is Associated with Body Composition and Microbiota Diversity in Overweight and Obese Women with Breast Cancer Participating in a Presurgical Weight Loss Trial. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2020 Apr;120(4):650-659. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2018.08.164. Epub 2018 Nov 9. PMID 30420171
- DERIVEDTsuruta Y, Rogers LQ, Krontiras H, Grizzle WE, Fruge AD, Oster RA, Umphrey HR, Jones LW, Azrad M, Demark-Wahnefried W. Exploring effects of presurgical weight loss among women with stage 0-II breast cancer: protocol for a randomised controlled feasibility trial. BMJ Open. 2016 Sep 15;6(9):e012320. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-012320. PMID 27633639