Fatigue-Busting combo: stimulant plus exercise tested in cancer patients
NCT ID NCT03525873
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This phase III trial tests whether the stimulant methylphenidate (Ritalin) combined with physical activity can reduce cancer-related fatigue in 212 patients with metastatic cancer who are receiving anti-PD1 immunotherapy. Participants are randomly assigned to receive either methylphenidate or a placebo, plus a physical activity program. The study measures changes in fatigue scores and daily activity levels over time.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- methylphenidate (a central nervous system stimulant) and physical activity (aerobic and resistance exercises)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a drug-and-exercise combination to ease severe fatigue in people with advanced cancer on immunotherapy.
- What could go wrong
- This is a phase III trial, but fatigue is subjective and hard to measure. The drug may cause side effects like insomnia or anxiety, and the benefit may be small or not apply to all patients.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
M D Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, Texas, 77030, United States
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