NCT06123988 · University of Miami
Prolonged Overnight Fasting and/or Exercise on Fatigue and Other Patient Reported Outcomes in Women With Hormone Receptor Positive Advanced Breast Cancer
(FastER)
What this study is about
The purpose of this study is to test if four different programs (prolonged overnighting fasting alone, exercise alone, a combination of prolonged overnight fasting and exercise, or general health education sessions alone) can reduce fatigue in women with advanced or metastatic breast cancer who are receiving a medication called a cyclin-dependent kinases-4 and 6 (CDK4/6) inhibitor (e.g.
View original scientific description
The purpose of this study is to test if four different programs (prolonged overnighting fasting alone, exercise alone, a combination of prolonged overnight fasting and exercise, or general health education sessions alone) can reduce fatigue in women with advanced or metastatic breast cancer who are receiving a medication called a cyclin-dependent kinases-4 and 6 (CDK4/6) inhibitor (e.g., palbociclib, ribociclib, or abemaciclib), with or without HER2-directed therapy (e.g., trastuzumab ± pertuzumab), or in combination with both a CDK4/6 inhibitor and a PI3K inhibitor, within the past 90 days.
Interventions
BEHAVIORAL
Prolonged Overnight Fasting
Participants will undergo a 12-week program of prolonged overnight fasting (POF) during which they will abstain from consuming food or drink after 8pm, and wait 12 to 14 hours before resuming eating the next day. Participants will fast overnight for six nights each week, with one night off, and log their fasting start and stop times and timing of food intake daily via text messaging, or via study-provided app accessible by web browser or smart phone, or via paper journal returned by mail at the end of each month. Participants will also complete one weekly session with a health coach to review their fasting log and any barriers to and/or facilitators of meeting the POF goals. Sessions may be delivered in-person, by telephone, or by video call based on participant preference. Sessions will last 15 to 30 minutes each, for a total of 12 sessions. Participants will be provided with a notebook with information and support to encourage meeting the POF goals.
BEHAVIORAL
Moderate-Intensity Exercise
Participants will undergo a 12-week program consisting of three weekly sessions of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic and resistance exercises, under the supervision of a health coach. Sessions may be delivered either in-person or virtually via telehealth. Sessions will be tailored to the individual participant based on fitness level and symptoms at study entry, and limited to daylight hours as much as possible. Each session will last 30 to 50 minutes, as tolerated by the participant, for a total of 36 sessions. Participants will receive a Fitbit device to track their activity, and to provide heart rate monitoring during each session. Participants without access to wi-fi will be loaned cellular-enabled tablets to allow them to participate in telehealth sessions. Participants will also receive a notebook with information and support to encourage exercise.
BEHAVIORAL
General Health Education Sessions
Participants will receive a general health education resource manual at study entry, followed by six bi-weekly sessions with a health coach to review the information. Six topics, one topic for each session, will be selected based on topics of potential interest to a population living with advanced breast cancer, focusing on general nutrition, healthy lifestyle, and quality of life, with no discussion of prolonged overnight fasting or exercise. Each session, administered via telephone or video call, will last about 15 to 30 minutes, and have a specific topic and call script for the health coach to follow to minimize any intervention drift and/or contamination. Participants will receive a Fitbit activity monitoring device and additional study materials at the end of their participation in the study.
Primary outcome measures
Change in Cancer-Related Fatigue as Measured by EORTC QLQ-C30 Scores
Time frame: Baseline, 12 weeks
Change in self-reported cancer-related fatigue as measured by participant scores on the European Organisation For Research And Treatment Of Cancer (EORTC) core quality of life questionnaire (QLQ) (EORTC QLQ-C30). The EORTC QLQ-C30 is a self-administered, 30-item questionnaire used to measure cancer patients' health-related quality of life. The EORTC QLQ-C30 uses for the questions 1 to 28 a 4-point scale. The scale scores from 1 to 4: 1 ("Not at all"), 2 ("A little"), 3 ("Quite a bit") and 4 ("Very much"). For the raw score, less points are considered to have a better outcome. For the questions 29 and 30, the EORTC-QLQ-30 uses a 7-points scale. The scale scores from 1 to 7: 1 ("Very poor") to 7 ("Excellent"). More points are considered to have a better outcome.
Who can participate
This study lists these criteria on ClinicalTrials.gov. A study coordinator reviews eligibility during screening — this page does not determine whether you qualify.
Inclusion criteria
- Able to provide written informed consent
- Able to speak, read, and understand English or Spanish
- Postmenopausal (including concurrent use of ovarian suppression)
- Diagnosis of ER+ and/or PR+, hormone estrogen receptor-2 (HER-2)- or HER-2+ metastatic or locally advanced unresectable breast cancer
- Initiation of first-line or second-line endocrine therapy in combination with a CDK4/6 inhibitor (e.g., palbociclib, ribociclib, or abemaciclib), with or without hormone estrogen receptor-2 (HER2)-directed therapy (e.g., trastuzumab ± pertuzumab), or in combination with both a CDK4/6 inhibitor and a Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor, within the past 90 days.
- Prior use of a CDK4/6 inhibitor in the adjuvant setting is permitted; participants must be enrolled within 90 days of starting a CDK4/6 inhibitor for the first or second time in the metastatic or locally advanced setting.
- Participants who switch from one CDK4/6 inhibitor to another due to toxicity or insurance constraints remain eligible, provided enrollment occurs within 90 days of initiating the first or second-line CDK4/6 inhibitor in the metastatic or locally advanced setting.
- Having not consistently (not equal to or more than 50% of the time) engaged in more than 90 minutes of moderate or 45 minutes of vigorous physical activity per week over the past 3 months
- Having not consistently engaged in resistance training 2 or more days per week over the past 3 months
- Having not consistently (not equal to or more than 50% of the time) engaged in structured fasting (i.e., not regularly fasting for ≥12hr/night) for the past 3 months
- Approval from a medical oncology provider to participate.
Exclusion criteria
- Unable to provide consent
- Unable to read or understand English or Spanish
- Oxygen dependent
- Unstable cardiac disease
- Insulin-dependent diabetes
- Unable to walk 2 blocks without assistance (excluding canes)
- Regularly maintaining a shiftwork schedule, i.e. working evening shifts, night shifts, or rotating shifts in the last 3 months
- History of a clinical eating disorder
- Unstable bone metastases
- More than 90 days since initiation of first- or second-line endocrine therapy in combination with 1) a CDK4/6 inhibitor, with or without HER2-directed therapy, or 2) a CDK 4/6 inhibitor in combination with a PI3K inhibitor, in the metastatic or locally advanced.
- Presence of a severe medical condition or psychiatric condition or medications that would preclude participation of the study intervention.
Where
- Phoenix, Arizona
- Miami, Florida
- Boston, Massachusetts
Collaborators
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Related conditions & keywords
Frequently asked questions
What is a clinical trial?
A clinical trial is a research study that tests new medical treatments, drugs, devices, or procedures to determine their safety and effectiveness. Trials are carefully designed and monitored to protect participants while advancing medical knowledge.
Is it safe to participate?
Clinical trials follow strict safety guidelines and ethical standards. Trials must be reviewed and approved, and participants are closely monitored by medical professionals throughout the study. You can withdraw at any time if you choose.
Will I be compensated?
Many clinical trials offer compensation for your time, travel expenses, and inconvenience. The specific compensation varies by study and will be discussed during the screening process. All study-related medical care is typically provided at no cost to participants.
Will I receive a placebo instead of treatment?
When effective treatment exists, participants typically receive either the standard treatment plus the study intervention, or the standard treatment plus placebo. You would not be denied effective care. Placebos are primarily used when no proven treatment is available, or in addition to standard care. Your trial consent form will clearly explain what treatments you may receive.
Can I leave a trial if I change my mind?
Absolutely. Participation in clinical trials is completely voluntary. You have the right to withdraw from the study at any time, for any reason, without penalty or loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled.
How long does a clinical trial last?
Trial duration varies widely depending on the study design and purpose. Some trials last just a few weeks, while others may continue for months or years. The study coordinator will provide specific timeline information during your screening call.
Data: ClinicalTrials.gov · synced Aug 6, 2025 · Source of record for eligibility and locations