90 Participants Needed

Increased Protein Intake (Eggs) for Cancer Recovery

VM
WW
Overseen ByWendy Wismer, PhD
Age: 18+
Sex: Any
Trial Phase: Academic
Sponsor: University of Alberta
No Placebo GroupAll trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Trial Summary

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It's best to discuss this with the trial coordinators or your doctor.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment of increased protein intake (eggs) for cancer recovery?

Research suggests that higher protein intake is linked to better survival rates in breast cancer patients, indicating that protein-rich foods like eggs might help in cancer recovery. However, the exact mechanism is unclear, and more studies are needed to confirm these findings.12345

Is it safe for cancer survivors to increase protein intake through egg consumption?

The research does not specifically address the safety of increased egg consumption for cancer survivors, but it highlights that dietary changes and supplement use are common among cancer survivors, often without medical supervision. It's important for patients to discuss any dietary changes with their healthcare provider to avoid potentially harmful practices.16789

How does the egg supplementation treatment for cancer recovery differ from other treatments?

The egg supplementation treatment is unique because it involves increasing protein intake through the consumption of eggs, which may help improve muscle mass and strength in cancer patients. Unlike other treatments that might focus on medication or surgery, this approach uses a dietary intervention to potentially enhance recovery and quality of life.1381011

What is the purpose of this trial?

Cancer and its treatments often result in severe toxicities and side effects that, over the course of treatment, results in weight loss and depletion of key nutrients. Loss of muscle mass and strength during cancer treatment is a critical problem because it negatively affects patient response and tolerance to therapy and post-treatment recovery. To restore the nutritional status, it is imperative to stimulate muscle protein anabolism. Eggs are high quality protein source, popular and well tolerated by cancer patients. Therefore, the objective of this study is to determine whether a nutritional intervention of ≥2 eggs can aid in restoring nutritional status and improving immune function and quality of life of cancer patients' post-treatment. It is an 8- week randomised clinical trial with parallel arm assignment. Half of the participants will receive the nutritional intervention (Early Intervention) and the other half will be on standard of care or usual diet for first 4 weeks. Starting from week 5, all participants will receive the nutrition intervention till week 8 (Delayed Intervention). Dietary intake (foods and nutrients), cumulative protein intake (g protein/kg body weight), immunological measures, physical performance and quality of life has been planned to be assessed over time and between groups to evaluate the feasibility of an egg intervention in meeting recommended protein intakes for patients with cancer.

Research Team

VM

Vera Mazurak, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of Alberta

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for adults over 18 who've finished platinum chemotherapy for cancer, can eat on their own, and are willing to follow the study plan. It's not for those allergic to eggs, fed by tubes or IV nutrition, with brain cancer or conditions affecting food consumption or nutrient metabolism.

Inclusion Criteria

Patients must have the ability to read, understand, and sign an informed consent and must be willing to comply with study treatment and follow-up
I have completed treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy for my confirmed cancer.
I can eat semi-solid foods by myself and can continue to do so.

Exclusion Criteria

I am fed through a tube or IV nutrition.
I don't have conditions affecting my nutrient absorption.
Known hypersensitivity or allergy to eggs
See 3 more

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Early Intervention

Participants receive a nutritional intervention of ≥2 eggs immediately after the completion of treatment for 8 weeks

8 weeks

Delayed Intervention

Participants receive a nutritional intervention of ≥2 eggs starting 4 weeks after the completion of treatment, for 4 weeks

4 weeks

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in body weight, protein intake, energy intake, quality of life, nutritional status, symptom severity, and physical performance

4 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

  • ≥ 2 eggs in addition to usual diet
Trial Overview The study tests if adding at least two eggs daily to the diet of cancer patients post-treatment can improve protein intake, immune function, and quality of life. Participants are randomly assigned to start this egg-enriched diet either immediately or after four weeks.
Participant Groups
2Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Group I: Early InterventionExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
Participants are expected to begin intervention immediately after the completion of treatment for a period of 8 weeks.
Group II: Delayed InterventionExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
Participants are expected to begin intervention 4 weeks after the completion of the treatment, for a period of 4 weeks (weeks 5-8).

Find a Clinic Near You

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Alberta

Lead Sponsor

Trials
957
Recruited
437,000+

Egg Farmers of Canada

Collaborator

Trials
3
Recruited
270+

Findings from Research

Cancer survivors are more likely to use dietary supplements, with 70.4% reporting any supplement use compared to 51.2% of individuals without cancer, and they also consume higher doses of certain vitamins and minerals.
Despite higher supplement use, cancer survivors tend to have lower nutrient intakes from food, leading to a higher prevalence of inadequate nutrient intake for several essential nutrients, as well as a risk of excess intake from supplements, particularly for vitamin D and calcium.
Dietary Supplement Use among Adult Cancer Survivors in the United States.Du, M., Luo, H., Blumberg, JB., et al.[2023]
Breast cancer patients should undergo a nutritional assessment right after diagnosis to tailor dietary interventions that support their health during and after treatment, focusing on maintaining a healthy body weight and lean mass.
A personalized nutrition plan is recommended, emphasizing a balanced intake of macronutrients (less than 30% fat, about 55% carbohydrates, and adequate protein) and encouraging high consumption of fruits and vegetables to improve nutritional status and overall health outcomes.
Dietary Guidelines for Breast Cancer Patients: A Critical Review.Limon-Miro, AT., Lopez-Teros, V., Astiazaran-Garcia, H.[2023]
In a study of 6,348 women with stage I to III breast cancer, higher protein intake was associated with a modest improvement in survival rates, particularly with animal protein, suggesting that protein consumption may be beneficial post-diagnosis.
The study found no significant differences in survival benefits based on insulin receptor status or specific types of amino acids, indicating that women with breast cancer may not need to restrict protein intake for better outcomes.
Protein Intake and Breast Cancer Survival in the Nurses' Health Study.Holmes, MD., Wang, J., Hankinson, SE., et al.[2019]

References

Dietary Supplement Use among Adult Cancer Survivors in the United States. [2023]
Dietary Guidelines for Breast Cancer Patients: A Critical Review. [2023]
Protein Intake and Breast Cancer Survival in the Nurses' Health Study. [2019]
Dietary protein sources and tumoral overexpression of RhoA, VEGF-A and VEGFR2 genes among breast cancer patients. [2023]
Overall Dietary Intake and Prognosis after Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review. [2019]
Dietary supplement use among cancer survivors of the NutriNet-Santé cohort study. [2015]
Nutrition during and after cancer treatment: a guide for informed choices by cancer survivors. [2019]
[Nutrition and cancer: causative, protective and therapeutic aspects]. [2018]
Results of the ECHO (Eating habits CHanges in Oncologic patients) Survey: An Italian Cross-Sectional Multicentric Study to Explore Dietary Changes and Dietary Supplement Use, in Breast Cancer Survivors. [2022]
The Impact of Protein Supplementation Targeted at Improving Muscle Mass on Strength in Cancer Patients: A Scoping Review. [2021]
11.United Statespubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Dietary protein and experimental carcinogenesis. [2019]
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