Clinical Trials Logo

Clinical Trial Summary

What are the investigators trying to do? By most measures, humans consume more food than needed. Over several decades, overconsumption has led to an increase in a number of diseases, including cancer. What if this could be reversed, or slowed down, by fasting? Would that improve how cancer patients respond to chemotherapy? Could simply changing eating patterns to reduce overall intake be a way to prevent and/or manage cancer? All of these are important questions and the investigators are undertaking a new initiative to study how nutrition and dietary behaviours affect cancer patients. Fasting: A way to improve overall health and increase our defenses to cancer Fasting in various forms has been shown to have a number of health benefits. Intermittent fasting, or time restricted feeding, has been shown to reverse or improve various diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and metabolic syndrome, decrease the risk of cancer, and significantly extend the life of an individual. In previous studies, fasting was well-tolerated with notable improvements in energy levels, sense of well-being, and sleep quality. In cancer patients, clinical trials have demonstrated intermittent fasting to lessen some of the short-term side effects of chemotherapy such as nausea, fatigue, and sleep quality. How fasting alters the course of cancer or improve immune defenses is not yet known but may be an alternative way to treat or manage cancer. The study plan The investigators plan to examine the effects of intermittent fasting (time restricted feeding) in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). CLL is the most common chronic leukemia and is presently incurable. The advantage of choosing this patient population is that the cancer is easily assessed with a blood test measuring the amount of cancerous white cells (lymphocytes). Patients who consent to participate in this study will, through the support of an oncology dietitian and after a period of transition, split their daily feeding into a fasting period and a non-fasting period. This regime is as simple as skipping or having a late breakfast. At this time, participants will not be required to limit their total caloric intake. What is required from the participant? The investigators will assess whether intermittent fasting reduces the cancer by measuring the lymphocyte count in the blood over a period of 3 months. Study participants will complete questionnaires to help determine if fasting causes any change in their quality of life. The effects of intermittent fasting on a cancer control system called autophagy, as well as its effects on inflammation will be studied in the Deeley Research Centre laboratory at BC Cancer. What is the short- and long-term impact? In the short-term, if intermittent fasting can have an effect cancer lymphocyte count or on autophagy, then investigators will proceed with further studies to try and optimize the effects of intermittent fasting. In the long-term, this study is expected to be the first-ever to shed light on how intermittent fasting may be linked to cancer survival and/or growth. If true, this will open up new avenues to re-evaluate the inclusion of diet into cancer treatment protocols.


Clinical Trial Description

n/a


Study Design


Related Conditions & MeSH terms


NCT number NCT04626843
Study type Interventional
Source British Columbia Cancer Agency
Contact
Status Completed
Phase Phase 1
Start date February 3, 2021
Completion date December 31, 2022

See also
  Status Clinical Trial Phase
Completed NCT03995979 - Inflammation and Protein Restriction N/A
Completed NCT03255187 - Effect of Dietary Supplemental Fish Oil in Alleviating Health Hazards Associated With Air Pollution N/A
Completed NCT04507867 - Effect of a NSS to Reduce Complications in Patients With Covid-19 and Comorbidities in Stage III N/A
Completed NCT03577223 - Egg Effects on the Immunomodulatory Properties of HDL N/A
Completed NCT04383561 - Relationship Between LRG and Periodontal Disease N/A
Active, not recruiting NCT03622632 - Pilot Study to Measure Uric Acid in Traumatized Patients: Determinants and Prognostic Association
Completed NCT06216015 - Exercise Training and Kidney Transplantation N/A
Completed NCT04856748 - Nomogram to Diagnose Prostatic Inflammation (PIN) in Men With Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms
Completed NCT05529693 - Efficacy of a Probiotic Strain on Level of Markers of Inflammation in an Elderly Population N/A
Recruiting NCT05670301 - Flemish Joint Effort for Biomarker pRofiling in Inflammatory Systemic Diseases N/A
Recruiting NCT05415397 - Treating Immuno-metabolic Depression With Anti-inflammatory Drugs Phase 3
Recruiting NCT04543877 - WHNRC (Western Human Nutrition Research Center) Fiber Intervention Study Early Phase 1
Recruiting NCT05775731 - Markers of Inflammation and of the Pro-thrombotic State in Hospital Shift and Day Workers
Completed NCT03859934 - Metabolic Effects of Melatonin Treatment Phase 1
Completed NCT03429920 - Effect of Fermented Soy Based Product on Cardiometabolic Risk Factors N/A
Completed NCT06065241 - Quantifiably Determine if the Botanical Formulation, LLP-01, Has a Significant Clinical Effect on Proteomic Inflammatory Biomarkers and Epigenetic Changes in Healthy, Older Individuals. N/A
Completed NCT05864352 - The Role of Dietary Titanium Dioxide on the Human Gut Microbiome and Health
Completed NCT03318731 - Efficacy and Safety of Fenugreek Extract on Markers of Muscle Damage and Inflammation in Untrained Males N/A
Not yet recruiting NCT06134076 - Comparing Effects of Fermented and Unfermented Pulses and Gut Microbiota N/A
Not yet recruiting NCT06422494 - The Role of the Adrenergic System in Hypoglycaemia Induced Inflammatory Response in People With Type 1 Diabetes and People Without Type 1 Diabetes-RAID-II N/A