Recruiting

High-Intensity Interval Exercise

Sponsor:

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Code:

NCT05740839

Conditions

Pediatric Brain Tumor

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 45

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Interventions

HIIT Exercise Program

Control Group

Study Details

Brief summary:

The purpose of this study is to determine whether a 16-week virtual, home-based, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) exercise program will improve physical, cognitive, and emotional health among young adult survivors of pediatric brain tumors.

The names of the study interventions involved in this study are/is:

  • High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

Conditions

Pediatric Brain Tumor

Study ID

NCT05740839

Start date

Dec 4, 2023

Status verified date

Feb, 2026

Completion date

Sep 24, 2027

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Sep 24, 2026

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 45

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Written informed consent prior to any study-related procedures.
  • At time of study are a young adult, aged 18-45 years.
  • Histologically diagnosed brain tumor during childhood, or currently diagnosed with an IDH-mutant glioma (diagnosed > 18 years).
  • Are at least 2 years post tumor-directed therapy for pediatric brain tumor survivors, or at least 1 year since their most recent surgery, radiation or chemotherapy treatment for IDH-mutant glioma patients (or are deemed able to participate in the study based on the assessment of their treating physician). IDH-mutant glioma patients can participate while on maintenance therapy with an IDH inhibitor.
  • The effects of exercise on the developing fetus are unknown. For this reason, people of child-bearing potential must verify pregnancy status by providing first day of their last menstrual cycle and agree to use adequate contraception (hormonal or barrier method of birth control or abstinence) prior to study entry. Should a person become pregnant or suspect that they are pregnant while participating on the trial, they should inform their treating physician immediately.
  • Medically cleared to participate in exercise by their referring physician or a certified clinical exercise physiologist.
  • If participants have a diagnosis of tumor-related epilepsy, they must have good seizure control, with no generalized seizures in the 6 months preceding enrollment.
  • Are without any other medical conditions that could exacerbate with exercise, such as bone disease (excluding bone metastases) at imminent risk of fracture or uncontrolled cardiopulmonary or metabolic diseases.
  • Speak English and/or Spanish.
  • Currently participate in less than or equal to 60 minutes of moderate or vigorous structured exercise/week.
  • Does not smoke cigarettes or e-cigarettes (no smoking during the previous 12 months). Those who infrequently smoke in social settings will be included. Those who vape will also be included.
  • Willing to travel to DFCI for necessary data collection.
  • Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Diagnosis of primary spinal cord tumor.
  • Pre-existing medical conditions such as uncontrolled tumor-related epilepsy, cardiopulmonary disease, or metabolic diseases that could exacerbate with exercise.
  • Patients with evidence of progressive CNS or systemic cancer in the last 3 months.
  • People who are pregnant, or plan to become pregnant during study duration will be excluded due to the unknown nature of exercise on developing fetuses.
  • Actively on a weight loss diet.
  • Participate in more than 60 minutes of moderate or vigorous structured exercise/week.
  • Currently and regularly smokes.
  • Unable to travel to DFCI for necessary data collection.
  • May not be able to comply with the safety monitoring requirements of the study in the opinion of the investigator.

Study Design

Enrollment

30 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Supportive Care

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: HIIT Exercise Program Group

Participants will be randomly assigned to the HIIT exercise group and receive:

  • 3x weekly for 16 week home-based virtually supervised High-Intensity Interval Training.
  • 16-week self-directed exercise follow up period.
  • 3 On-site visits at Week 1, 18 and 34 for assement testing and completion of questionnaires

active comparator: Control Group

Participants will be randomly assigned to the HIIT waitlist control group and receive:

  • Daily usual activities
  • 2 On-site visits at Week 1, and 18 for assement testing and completion of questionnaires
  • Option to complete 16 week, 3x weekly HIIT exercise program after initial 16 week period.

Interventions

HIIT Exercise Program

Exercise program with stationary bike via the Zoom platform.

Control Group

Usual Activities

Primary outcome measure

  • Attendance of Exercise Sessions [ Time Frame: From first exercise session to final exercise session, up to 16 weeks ]
  • Completion in Minutes of Exercise Sessions [ Time Frame: From first exercise session to final exercise session, up to 16 weeks ]
  • HIIT Compliance [ Time Frame: From first exercise session to final exercise session, up to 16 weeks ]
  • Barriers to Exercise Adherence [ Time Frame: From first exercise session to final exercise session, up to 16 weeks ]
  • Participant Burden [ Time Frame: From first exercise session to final exercise session, up to 16 weeks ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Christina Dieli-Conwright, PhD, MPH

617-582-8321ChristinaM_Dieli-Conwright@dfci.harvard.edu

Locations

Dana Farber Cancer Institute

Recruiting

Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02215

Contacts

Christina M Dieli-Conwright, PhD, MPH

617-632-3800ChristinaM_Dieli-Conwright@dfci.harvard.edu

Principal Investigator:

Christina M Dieli-Conwright, PhD

More Information

Sponsor

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Last update posted

Feb 24, 2026

Last verified

Feb, 2026

Keywords

  • Pediatric Brain Tumor
  • Exercise Program
  • HIIT Program
  • Pediatric Brain Tumor Survivors

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-10. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute on 2026-02-24.