NCT04611113

Immunonutrition and Tolerance to Chemoradiotherapy in Patients With Head-neck Cancer

Efficacy of Immunonutrition in Improving Tolerance to Chemoradiotherapy in Patients With Head-neck Cancer

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 86 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo di Pavia · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The aim of the present project is to evaluate in a randomised, controlled, open-label, two parallel treatment groups pilot study, the efficacy of oral nutritional supplementation with a high-protein-high calorie mixture containing immunonutrients compared to a standard high-calorie-high-protein nutritional blend, in addition to nutritional counseling, in improving tolerance to chemoradiotherapy (CT-RT) in patients with tumours of the head and neck

Detailed description

In a recent study, we have shown that the systematic use of oral nutritional supplements (ONS) in combination with counseling further favours the maintenance of nutrition status, the recovery of quality of life and, more importantly, improves the practicability of CT-RT. This effect would be substantially attributable to the increase in protein-energy intake associated with ONS use, but also to the possible "nutraceutical" action of omega-3 fatty acids. Therefore, modulation of the inflammatory response could play a role during cancer treatments. In this context, there is an already-known high-calorie-high-protein nutritional blend, enriched in immunonutrients (arginine, nucleotides and omega-3 fatty acids), which could also have an application in this type of patients. This mixture has proven effective in reducing the risk of post-operative complications (e.g. infections, fistulas, etc.) and the length of stay of patients undergoing major cancer surgery (abdominal and head and neck regions). Nevertheless, in oncology, there is a growing therapeutic interest in the modulation of inflammation and immunosuppression at the tumour microenvironment level.

Conditions

• Head and Neck Cancer

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT	Immunonutrition	In addition to nutritional counseling, patients will receive two servings of an oral high-calorie-high-protein nutritional liquid supplement enriched in immunonutrients (Impact®). The intervention will start 10-15 days before anticancer treatment initiation and will continue until treatment termination or dropout.
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT	Control Nutritional Support	In addition to nutritional counseling, patients will receive two servings of an oral high-calorie-high-protein nutritional liquid supplement. The intervention will start 10-15 days before anticancer treatment initiation and will continue until treatment termination or dropout.

Timeline

• Start date: 2021-03-17
• Primary completion: 2026-11-15
• Completion: 2026-11-15
• First posted: 2020-11-02
• Last updated: 2025-05-01

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Italy