Melinda L. Irwin, PhD, MPH

Examining the effects of exercise and nutrition therapy on patients newly diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer

Impact

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer that can be challenging to treat. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy, or chemotherapy prior to surgery, is often recommended for aggressive tumors to reduce tumor size and measure the treatment’s effectiveness. In the clinic, that effectiveness is determined by measuring a pathological complete response (pCR), which is characterized by the absence of residual invasive cancer in tissue samples after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. This pCR measurement is an important prognostic measure of recurrence and mortality.

Progress Thus Far

Dr. Irwin’s LEANer trial explored the impact of an exercise and nutrition program on women undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer. Among those receiving chemotherapy before surgery, the pCR rates were significantly higher for women in the intervention group compared to those in usual care, especially among women with TNBC. This suggests that the intervention may enhance pCR through immune, inflammatory, and metabolic pathways.

What’s next

Following on the results of the LEANer trial, Dr. Irwin’s team will evaluate the effects of a combined exercise and nutrition intervention in women newly diagnosed with TNBC undergoing pre-surgical chemotherapy and immunotherapy. The primary goals are to evaluate the intervention’s impact on pCR, residual cancer burden (RCB), biological mechanisms and pathways influencing pCR and RCB, and patient-reported outcomes. The findings from this trial could lead to significant shifts in oncology care, policies and insurance coverage, and further promote the integration of exercise and nutrition therapy into standard cancer treatment protocols.