High-Intensity Exercise and High-Fiber Diet for Immunotherapy Outcomes in Melanoma Patients: The DUO Trial

NCT ID: NCT06298734

Last Updated: 2025-09-11

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

40 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2024-07-01

Study Completion Date

2027-03-31

Brief Summary

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The purpose of this study is to determine whether high-intensity exercise and high-fiber diet are feasible and improve various health outcomes among participants with advanced melanoma receiving immunotherapy.

The names of the groups in this research study are:

* High-Intensity Exercise (EX)
* High-fiber Diet (DT)
* Combined High-Intensity Exercise and High-Fiber Diet (COMB)
* Attention Control (AC)

Detailed Description

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This single-center, four-arm, pilot randomized research study is to test if high-intensity exercise and high-fiber diet are feasible and effective in improving the gut microbiome health, immune function, physical fitness, treatment-related side effects, and treatment outcomes in participants with advanced melanoma receiving immunotherapy. Participants will be randomized into 1 of 4 study groups: Group A Exercise, Group B Diet, Group C Combined, and Group D Attention Control. Randomization means a participant will be placed into an intervention group by chance.

The information learned by doing this research may help determine whether participating in such lifestyle interventions are tolerable during immunotherapy and exert health benefits among melanoma participants.

The research study procedures include screening for eligibility, study visits, stool samples, blood tests, and questionnaires.

Participation in this study is expected to last up to a total of 9 weeks.

It is expected about 40 people will take part in this research study.

This study is sponsored by the World Cancer Research Fund International.

Conditions

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Melanoma (Skin) Skin Cancer Advanced Melanoma

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Group A: High-Intensity Exercise (EX)

10 participants will complete:

* In-office baseline visit.
* Virtual exercise sessions 3x weekly.
* Post-intervention in-office visit.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Exercise Program

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

A high-intensity interval training, aerobic exercise program virtually supervised, home-based, and appointment-based program under direct one-on-one supervision by a trained oncology exercise specialist. Sessions will be conducted via the Zoom platform. Participants will be provided with home stationary bike, heart rate monitor, blood pressure monitor. For participants who do not have a smart device, a Wi-Fi enabled tablet will be provided.

Group B: High-Fiber Diet (DT)

10 participants will complete:

* In-office baseline visit.
* 1x weekly appointment with research staff to review to review diet adherence.
* Post-intervention in-office visit.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Diet Program

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

A virtual dietary consultation program supervised by trained research staff. Appointments will be conducted via the Zoom platform. Participants will receive an education handout at the baseline visit.

Group C: Combined High-Intensity Exercise and High-fiber Diet (COMB)

10 participants will complete:

* In-office baseline visit.
* Virtual exercise sessions 3x weekly.
* 1x weekly appointment with research staff via Zoom platform to review to review diet adherence. Diet appointment may be combined with exercise session appointment.
* Post-intervention in-office visit.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Exercise Program

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

A high-intensity interval training, aerobic exercise program virtually supervised, home-based, and appointment-based program under direct one-on-one supervision by a trained oncology exercise specialist. Sessions will be conducted via the Zoom platform. Participants will be provided with home stationary bike, heart rate monitor, blood pressure monitor. For participants who do not have a smart device, a Wi-Fi enabled tablet will be provided.

Diet Program

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

A virtual dietary consultation program supervised by trained research staff. Appointments will be conducted via the Zoom platform. Participants will receive an education handout at the baseline visit.

Group D: Attention Control (AC)

10 participants will complete:

* In-office baseline visit.
* Participants will receive a general healthy lifestyle guidebook.
* Pot-intervention in-office visit.

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

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Exercise Program

A high-intensity interval training, aerobic exercise program virtually supervised, home-based, and appointment-based program under direct one-on-one supervision by a trained oncology exercise specialist. Sessions will be conducted via the Zoom platform. Participants will be provided with home stationary bike, heart rate monitor, blood pressure monitor. For participants who do not have a smart device, a Wi-Fi enabled tablet will be provided.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Diet Program

A virtual dietary consultation program supervised by trained research staff. Appointments will be conducted via the Zoom platform. Participants will receive an education handout at the baseline visit.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Age ≥18 years; due to the rarity of the disease in those \<18 years, this age bracket will not be included.
* Histologically diagnosed with advanced melanoma.
* Having been or newly receiving immune checkpoint inhibitor, including anti-PD1, antiCTLA4, and/or anti-LAG3 monoclonal antibodies, with palliative intent for at least one month with a plan to continue immunotherapy for at least 8 weeks (i.e., study intervention period) at the time of recruitment.
* Not receiving other concurrent tumor-directed systemic treatment (e.g., chemotherapy or targeted therapy).
* Medically cleared to participate in high-intensity exercise and high-fiber diet by their treating oncologist.
* Not having medical conditions that could exacerbate with exercise, such as bone disease at imminent risk of fracture or uncontrolled cardiopulmonary or metabolic diseases (e.g., uncontrolled hypertension or diabetes).
* Currently not meeting the physical activity guideline (i.e., more than 150 minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous intensity, regular, structured aerobic exercise) over the past month at the time of recruitment.
* Currently not meeting the daily dietary fiber intake guideline (i.e., 30 grams/day) over the past month at the time of recruitment.
* Ability to communicate and complete written forms in English.
* Ability to understand and the willingness to sign informed consent prior to any study- related procedures.
* Willing to travel to DFCI for necessary data collection.

Exclusion Criteria

* Receiving other concurrent systemic treatment for advanced melanoma such as chemotherapy or targeted therapy. This study is to exclusively target patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors where other treatments may impact the study outcomes of intervention efficacies and feasibilities.
* Participating in more than 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise per week over the past month. This study targets insufficiently active persons to assess the effect of the described exercise intervention, where additional exercise done regularly will contaminate the intervention outcomes.
* Consuming more than 25 and 38 grams of dietary fiber per day for women and men, respectively over the past month. This study targets persons who insufficiently take dietary fiber to assess the effect of the described dietary intervention, where additional dietary fiber intake will contaminate the intervention outcomes.
* Having unstable comorbidities or medical conditions that prevent participation in high intensity exercise or high-fiber diet interventions. Patients with unstable medical conditions may develop unexpected adverse events from exercise and dietary changes. For the purpose of patients' safety, patients with unstable medical conditions are excluded.
* Subjects who in the opinion of the investigator may not be able to comply with the safety monitoring requirements of the study.
* Development of second malignancy (except for basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin) that requires concurrent treatment, which would interfere with this study.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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World Cancer Research Fund International

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Christina Dieli-Conwright, PhD

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Christina Dieli-Conwright, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Locations

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Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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United States

Central Contacts

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Christina Dieli-Conwright, MD

Role: CONTACT

617-582-8321

Facility Contacts

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Christina Dieli-Conwright, MD

Role: primary

617-582-8321

Other Identifiers

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23-712

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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