“Tumor-bearing animal studies have suggested that aerobic exercise may acutely enhance anti-tumor immunity, partly by mobilizing effector cytotoxic T-cells in the bloodstream during exercise.”
“This acute immune response being strongly driven by intensity, high-intensity interval exercise might thus be a promising strategy to stimulate anti-cancer immunity in cancer patients.”
“The objective of this study was to characterise the acute cytotoxic T-cells response following a MOD and a high-intensity interval exercise trial in metastatic cancer patients (all solid cancer types) undergoing chemotherapy.”
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“11 participants (45–65 years old) underwent a block-randomized crossover trial with a MOD and a duration and work-matched high-intensity interval exercise trial.”
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“In metastatic cancer patients, a MOD and a work-matched high-intensity interval exercise session both induced the preferential blood mobilization and egress of CXCR3+ TEMRA cells.”
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“This is consistent with the hypothesis that exercise might be able to acutely stimulate tumoricidal cytotoxic immunity.”
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ClinicalTrials. gov Identifier: NCT04715061.
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H.Parent-Roberge, et al
The acute response of cytotoxic T cells following work-matched continuous moderate-intensity and high-intensity interval exercise in metastatic cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: a pilot study
Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism
Volume 51 — October 15, 2026 — page 1