Plant-Based Diet for Colorectal Cancer

Overseen By Cindy Kin, MD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Stanford University

Disqualifiers: Unable to maintain oral nutrition

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 3

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores how a plant-based diet might help improve health in people with colorectal diseases. Researchers aim to determine if plant-based diet education can increase plant intake and identify factors that make following this diet easier or harder. They also seek to discover any additional health benefits from increased plant consumption. Individuals diagnosed with a colorectal disease who can eat normally and have internet access may qualify for this trial. As an unphased trial, this study offers a unique opportunity to contribute to understanding the benefits of plant-based diets for colorectal health.

Do I need to stop my current medications for the trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What prior data suggests that this educational intervention is safe for patients with colorectal diseases?

Research shows that a plant-based diet is generally easy to follow and may offer health benefits, especially for people with colorectal diseases. Studies have found that a healthy plant-based diet can reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. Consuming more whole grains and fiber, key components of a plant-based diet, can also help people with cancer live longer.

While research has not reported specific negative effects directly linked to plant-based diets, eating unhealthy plant-based foods can increase the risk of digestive cancers. Therefore, focusing on healthy plant foods is important for safety and effectiveness.

Overall, a plant-based diet appears to be a safe change for most people and could improve health outcomes. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Unlike the standard treatments for colorectal cancer, which often involve surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation, the plant-based diet education focuses on empowering patients to adjust their eating habits by incorporating more plant foods. This approach is unique because it emphasizes lifestyle changes rather than medical interventions or drugs. Researchers are excited about this because a plant-based diet might improve overall health, reduce inflammation, and potentially slow the progression of cancer with fewer side effects. This dietary intervention could offer a complementary strategy to improve patient outcomes alongside traditional treatments.

What evidence suggests that this educational intervention is effective for increasing plant intake in patients with colorectal diseases?

Research has shown that eating a plant-based diet can greatly lower the risk of colorectal cancer. One study found that people who follow this type of diet have a 46% lower chance of developing colon cancer and a 73% lower chance of developing rectal cancer. Evidence also suggests that eliminating unhealthy diets could reduce colorectal cancer cases by about 38% in the U.S. Plant-based diets, rich in fiber, help protect against cancers in the digestive system. Overall, these diets benefit long-term health, especially for those with colorectal diseases. Participants in this trial will receive an educational intervention on incorporating more plant foods into their diet. ^{1 6 7 8 9}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for English-speaking patients who have had colorectal surgery within the last 6 months and are able to eat normally. It's designed to help those with colorectal diseases learn about and switch to a plant-based diet.

Inclusion Criteria

Access to Internet and email

Good English comprehension

Must be able to maintain oral nutrition

Exclusion Criteria

I cannot eat or drink by mouth.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1-2 weeks

1 visit (in-person or remote)

Enrollment

Participants are enrolled in the study and provide consent

1 week

1 visit (in-person or remote)

Intervention

Participants undergo a 6-week challenge to adopt a plant-based diet with weekly educational emails and tasks

6 weeks

Weekly virtual check-ins

Closeout

Quality of life and food frequency questionnaires are re-administered; semi-structured interviews conducted

2 weeks

1 visit (in-person or remote)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in diet and quality of life post-intervention

2 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Plant-based diet education

Trial Overview

The study focuses on teaching patients about plant-based diets, aiming to increase their intake of plants, understand what helps or hinders switching to such a diet, and observe any additional health benefits from this change.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Invervention group Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants will receive an educational intervention about how to incorporate more plant foods into their diet.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Stanford University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

2,527

Recruited

17,430,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

A healthy plant-based diet (hPDI) is associated with a reduced risk of total digestive system cancers, with significant reductions observed for gastrointestinal tract and liver cancers, based on data from three large cohorts totaling over 4.9 million person-years.

Conversely, an unhealthful plant-based diet (uPDI) is linked to an increased risk of gastrointestinal and colorectal cancers, highlighting the importance of diet quality in cancer prevention.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Plant-based dietary patterns and the risk of digestive system cancers in 3 large prospective cohort studies. Kim, J., Khil, J., Kim, H., et al.[2023]

In a study of 216 colorectal cancer patients and their family caregivers, patients were less likely to maintain healthy eating habits if they faced perceived barriers to following dietary guidelines.

Patients were more likely to adopt healthier eating habits when their family caregivers actively tried to improve their own dietary habits, suggesting that family involvement is crucial in supporting dietary changes for better health outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Facilitators and Barriers to Adoption of a Healthy Diet in Survivors of Colorectal Cancer. Lee, MK., Park, SY., Choi, GS.[2020]

Colorectal cancer patients who received structured in- and outpatient oncology nurse and nutritional counseling showed significant improvements in discharge management across seven areas, enhancing their overall care experience.

Patients in the intervention group reported better coping with treatment side effects and received more nutritional information, leading to improved management of food intolerances and adherence to dietary advice compared to the control group.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Health services research in colorectal cancer: a quasi-experimental interventional pilot study on in- and outpatient oncology. Reiter, M., Gerken, M., Lindberg-Scharf, P., et al.[2021]

A healthy plant-based diet (hPDI) is linked to a lower incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC), with a hazard ratio of 0.86, indicating a significant protective effect, especially against KRAS-wildtype CRC.

Conversely, an unhealthy plant-based diet (uPDI), characterized by refined grains and sugars, is associated with a higher incidence of CRC, with a hazard ratio of 1.16, highlighting the importance of diet quality in cancer risk.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Healthy and unhealthy plant-based diets in relation to the incidence of colorectal cancer overall and by molecular subtypes. Wang, F., Ugai, T., Haruki, K., et al.[2022]

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