Feasibility of High-Intensity Interval Exercise in Young Adult Survivors of Pediatric Brain Tumor and Young Adults With Isocitrate Dehydrogenase-Mutant Gliomas (HYPE): Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.
Cox E, Tahbaz M, et al. • JMIR research protocols • 2026
The HYPE study is a pilot randomized controlled trial designed to determine the feasibility of a virtually supervised high-intensity interval training (HIIT) intervention for young adult survivors of pediatric brain tumors and patients with IDH-mutant gliomas, with the goal of informing a future fully powered randomized controlled trial.
Key Findings
Background
Young adult survivors of pediatric brain tumors and patients with IDH-mutant gliomas are at risk for cognitive impairment, reduced physical fitness and function, poor health-related quality of life, and poor psychosocial health.
Both populations remain understudied with respect to exercise interventions.
HIIT is described as time-efficient, safe, and tolerable, and has been shown to enhance cognition in healthy young adults.
HIIT has been shown to improve physical fitness and quality of life in adult patients and survivors with cancer.
The feasibility of HIIT has not yet been established in these specific populations.
Methods
The HYPE study protocol targets enrollment of 30 young adult participants aged 18-45 years who are survivors of pediatric brain tumors or patients with IDH-mutant glioma, randomized to an exercise or control group.
Participants are randomized to either a HIIT exercise group or a stretching control group.
The exercise intervention consists of virtually supervised HIIT performed 3 times per week for 16 weeks.
Following the 16-week supervised intervention, participants in the exercise group undergo 16 weeks of self-directed exercise.
The control group performs a 16-week stretching program.
Baseline data collection began in February 2024, and 13 participants had been enrolled as of June 2026.
Methods
The HIIT intervention involves indoor cycling sessions consisting of alternating high- and low-intensity intervals with standardized warm-up and cool-down periods.
High-intensity intervals are 60 seconds at 60%-90% peak power output.
Low-intensity intervals are 60 seconds at 10% peak power output.
Each session includes 20 minutes of high- and low-intensity intervals plus a 5-minute warm-up and 5-minute cool-down.
Sessions are virtually supervised.
Methods
The primary feasibility outcome is measured by the number of exercise sessions completed, including total minutes and intensity, and barriers to exercise adherence.
Secondary outcomes include cognition, physical fitness and function, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and psychosocial health.
Outcomes are measured using standardized assessments and self-report questionnaires.
Exercise sustainability is measured by change in study outcomes following the self-directed 16-week follow-up period.
Social determinants of health are assessed using a self-report questionnaire.
Conclusions
The HYPE study is described as the first to use a virtually supervised HIIT intervention in young adult patients and survivors of brain tumor.
The projected study end date is December 2026.
Data analysis is planned to begin in January 2027.
Findings are expected to be published in fall 2028.
The findings are intended to elucidate feasibility of HIIT to design and power a future randomized controlled trial addressing cancer- and treatment-related sequelae.
The study will also provide insights into the sustainability of HIIT and the impact of social determinants of health on study outcomes.
What This Means
This research describes the design and protocol of a pilot clinical trial called HYPE, which is testing whether high-intensity interval training (HIIT) — a form of exercise that alternates short bursts of hard effort with easier recovery periods — is practical and feasible for two groups of young adults: those who survived a brain tumor diagnosed during childhood, and those currently living with a slow-growing type of brain cancer called IDH-mutant glioma. Both groups face serious long-term health challenges including problems with memory and thinking, reduced physical fitness, and lower quality of life, but exercise programs specifically designed for them have rarely been studied. The trial randomly assigns 30 participants (ages 18–45) to either a 16-week virtually supervised cycling-based HIIT program or a stretching control program, followed by 16 weeks of self-directed exercise for the HIIT group.
The study is measuring not just whether participants can safely complete the exercise sessions, but also whether HIIT produces early signs of benefit for brain function, physical fitness, quality of life, and emotional wellbeing. It is also examining whether people continue exercising on their own after the supervised program ends, and how social factors — such as access to resources or socioeconomic status — affect participation and outcomes. As of mid-2026, 13 of the planned 30 participants had been enrolled, with full results expected by late 2028.
This research suggests that if HIIT proves feasible and shows early promise in these young adult brain tumor populations, it could lay the groundwork for a larger, more definitive trial. This matters because these patients often face lasting effects from their diagnosis and treatment at a young age, and identifying safe, time-efficient exercise strategies could meaningfully improve their long-term health and wellbeing. The virtual delivery model may also help reach people who have difficulty accessing in-person programs.
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Cox E, Tahbaz M, Matarese E, Wilson R, Gonzalez Castro L, Uno H, et al.. (2026). Feasibility of High-Intensity Interval Exercise in Young Adult Survivors of Pediatric Brain Tumor and Young Adults With Isocitrate Dehydrogenase-Mutant Gliomas (HYPE): Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.. JMIR research protocols. https://doi.org/10.2196/88718