Role of Aerobic Exercise to Modulate Cardiotoxicity in Long Term Cancer Survivors Exposed to Anthracycline Therapy

October 9, 2025 updated by: Tiffany Ruiz, Connecticut Children's Medical Center
Over 50% of the more than 270,000 childhood cancer survivors in the U.S. have been treated with anthracyclines and thus are at risk of developing cardiotoxicity. The impact of exercise training on LV structure has been extensively studied. Left ventricular hypertrophy and cardiac chamber enlargement with the accompanying ability to generate a large stroke volume are direct results of exercise training. Aerobic exercise therapy offers a non-pharmacological mechanism to modulate multiple gene expression pathways that may promote cardiac remodeling. No prior studies have investigated the efficacy of aerobic exercise in the prevention or treatment of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity. We hypothesize that exercise intervention leads to a reverse in adverse cardiac remodeling with improvement of global and regional myocardial function in patients exposed to anthracycline.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

The goal of this research is to assess the effect of exercise intervention on imaging parameters by CMR, cardiopulmonary indices and MicroRNA expression in survivors of childhood cancer exposed to anthracycline therapy. Thus, results from this study could provide a foundation for a paradigm shift in our approach to the prevention and management of anthracycline induced cardiotoxicity in this population. Patients who have been exposed to anthracycline treatment and who are greater than 9 years of age will be enrolled.

Patients will come into the clinic for 7 study visits. Patients will have an exercise intervention provided to them by a trainer at the designated YMCA. Patients will start their exercise for 15 minutes per day for 3-5 days a week for week one progressing to 45 minutes per day, 3 - 5 days a week as tolerated by the end of week four. The goal during each session is for the patient to exercise at 50-80% of their age adjusted maximum heart rate, which will be determined by the personal trainer (PT) at their initial visit. The exercise program will continue for 12 weeks (ending at 16 weeks after entry to the study).

In the clinic patients will have the following tests completed:

Week 0 and Week 16: Cardiac MRI, stress test along with blood samples and Karnofsky/Lansky Scale.

Week 0 patients receive a Fitbit and home diary/Wellness Log for completion. Week 4 began exercise intervention Weeks 0, 4, 8, 16 and 20 patients will receive phone calls for symptom tracker Weeks 0, 16, and 6 month f/u patients complete a questionnaire

Patients will also have Fitness assessments to see how their exercise intervention is doing.

Specific Aim 1: To measure the impact of the toolbox exercise intervention on cardiac remodeling as measured by cardiac magnetic resonance Imaging (CMR) in childhood cancer survivors exposed to Anthracycline therapy. The objective of this Aim is to use CMR to characterize changes of myocardial mass, volume, global and regional myocardial function at baseline and following exercise intervention.

Specific Aim 2a: To examine the impact of the toolbox exercise intervention on exercise testing derived cardiopulmonary parameters in childhood cancer survivors exposed to Anthracycline therapy. The objective of this aim is to assess changes in oxygen consumption (peak VO2), VO2 @ anaerobic threshold, O2 pulse, and he ventilation/carbon dioxide slope (VE/VCO2slope) at baseline and following exercise intervention.

Specific Aim 2b: To examine the impact of the toolbox exercise intervention on quality of life, functional status and fitness in childhood cancer survivors exposed to anthracycline therapy. his Aim will test the hypothesis that exercise intervention will result in improvement in:

  1. Quality of life as measured by PedsQL 4.0 for children ≤ 18 and the SF-36 for adults > 18
  2. Patient functional status as measured by the Karnofsky/Lansky Scale
  3. Fitness as measured by range of motion, balance, endurance, body composition and and functional strength

Specific Aim 3: Analyze serum microRNA (miRNA) expression focusing on cardiac stress signaling pathways at three time points during each stress test: at baseline (prior to stress testing), immediately post-exercise (within 1min of completion of exercise testing), and after 1 hour of rest following stress testing). The objective of this aim is to measure changes in microRNA expression in plasma related to stress signaling pathways after exercise intervention when compared to baseline

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
47

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Connecticut
      • Hartford, Connecticut, United States, 06106
        • CT Children's Medical Center
    • Ohio
      • Columbus, Ohio, United States, 43205
        • Nationwide Children's Hospital

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

9 years to 99 years (Child, Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Patients who are over 9 years of age and who have had anthracycline chemotherapy treatments that were completed over 2 years ago will be asked to participant in the study.

Patients from the oncology clinic and the Stars clinic will be asked to participate.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Long-term childhood cancer survivors greater than 9 years of age*
  • Exposed to anthracycline chemotherapy * Age > 9 years of age was chosen to avoid the need for general anesthesia or sedation

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Contraindications to CMRI*
  • Individuals needing sedation to complete the cMRI
  • Subject not able to perform stress test.
  • Pregnancy**
  • Non-English speaking individuals
  • Orbital X-Ray confirmed to have metal in the eye or patient confirmed to have metal in the eye

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Small increase in the left and right ventricular volume
Time Frame: Baseline to Week 12
Small increase in the left and right ventricular volume
Baseline to Week 12
Small increase in left and right ventricular mass
Time Frame: Baseline to Week 12
Small increase in left and right ventricular mass
Baseline to Week 12

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Connecticut Children's Medical Center

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Nationwide Children's Hospital

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Tiffany L Berthod (Ruiz), MSN, RN, CPN, CCRC, Connecticut Children's Medical Center

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
June 19, 2015

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
August 27, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
August 27, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
July 25, 2019

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 25, 2019

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
July 29, 2019

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
October 14, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
October 9, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
October 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 14-110 (CTC-A)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

IPD Plan Description

Pending information from PI

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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