Research

Overarching Goal

Exercise can attenuate the adverse effects of cancer and its treatment, and accumulating evidence suggests it may also influence tumor biology, treatment response, and disease progression. The Kang Lab seeks to define the biological mechanisms underlying these effects, to quantify their impact on clinical and patient-centered outcomes, to determine who benefits most, and to establish how exercise is best prescribed and delivered. We address these questions through an integrated translational program spanning preclinical and mechanistic studies, clinical trials, and population-based research across the cancer continuum.

Research Approaches

We study how exercise modulates immune function to influence cancer and its treatment, and we work to define the underlying mechanisms in both patients and preclinical models.

We test whether exercise can influence disease progression, treatment response, and long-term outcomes, using randomized controlled trials in clinical settings where these effects can be assessed directly, including prostate cancer active surveillance and cancer immunotherapy.

We work to define the optimal type and dose of exercise and to identify the biological and clinical determinants of response, so that exercise can be prescribed with the specificity applied to other cancer therapies.

We develop and evaluate exercise interventions delivered remotely through technology, with the goal of extending effective and equitable access across diverse patient populations

Ongoing Projects

Boosting the Effects of Immunotherapy Through Exercise Training in Patients with Lung Cancer.

Tests whether structured exercise during immunotherapy can enhance immune activity and improve treatment outcomes in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

View the BOOST Trial on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06983899)

Modulating the Immune–Microbiome Axis Through High-Intensity Exercise and High-Fiber Diet for Immunotherapy Outcomes in Melanoma.

Utilizes a four-group design to test exercise and a high-fiber diet, alone and combined, for their effects on the gut microbiome, immune function, and treatment outcomes in patients with advanced melanoma receiving immunotherapy.

View the DUO Trial on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06298734)

Exercise for Tumor Suppressive Impact in Men with High-Risk Prostate Cancer on Active Surveillance.

Delivers a home-based, virtually supervised high-intensity exercise program to men with prostate cancer on active surveillance, examining effects on markers of cancer progression.

View the REMOVE Trial on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05918263)

Preliminary Efficacy of Different Exercise Training During Immunotherapy in Patients with Lung Cancer.

Compares different exercise training approaches during immunotherapy in patients with lung cancer, assessing feasibility and preliminary efficacy.

View the ENHANCE Trial on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06026111)

Completed Projects

Exercise During Active Surveillance for Prostate Cancer.

A randomized controlled trial that tested high-intensity aerobic exercise in men with prostate cancer on active surveillance, measuring cardiorespiratory fitness, tumor-related biomarkers, and markers of progression.

View the ERASE Trial on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03203460)