Effect of Meal Timing During Cancer Treatment in Patients in Alaska: A Randomized Clinical Trial
This is not medical advice. AI-assisted translation — inaccuracies may occur. Always verify the original and consult your oncologist before taking any steps.
About the trial
The goal of this clinical trial is to test meal-timing as a novel and sustainable interventional approach during cancer treatment to improve therapeutic response and metabolic health in an understudied population. This clinical trial will enroll patients with rectal or breast cancer receiving neoadjuvant treatment at the Alaska Native Medical Center (ANMC), which is part of the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC). A promising strategy for improving the efficacy of anticancer treatments and reducing associated toxicities involves combining treatment with fasting regimens. In pre-clinical and clinical studies, various forms of fasting have been shown to induce tumor regression and improve long-term survival. According to the differential stress sensitization theory, fasting is thought to sensitize tumor cells to the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapy and radiation, while protecting healthy cells by increasing stress resistance. While healthy cells slow their growth and become more stress resistant in response to fasting, cancer cells cannot survive in nutrient-deficient environments; although the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. However, extended water-only fasting can be challenging for patients and poses undue health risks. Intermittent fasting, and specifically time-restricted eating (TRE), may offer a viable alternative. TRE involves eating within a shorter window (e.g., 8 hours) and fasting for the remainder of the day but involves no other dietary restrictions. Because of its simplicity, TRE may be more sustainable than other fasting regimens. TRE also improves several cardio-metabolic endpoints, including insulin sensitivity, which may also be beneficial during anticancer treatments.
Original English text from ClinicalTrials.gov
Who can (and can't) join
✓ Qualifies
- •Mężczyźni i kobiety
- •Osoby rasy rdzennej Alaski lub Indianie Ameryki Północnej, którzy mogą leczyć się w ANMC
- •Osoby w wieku 21 lat lub starsze
- •Potwierdzony rak odbytnicy w stadium II, III lub IV (przygotowanie do leczenia)
- •Potwierdzony rak piersi HER2-dodatni lub potrójnie ujemny w stadium I, II lub III (przygotowanie do leczenia)
- •Planowane leczenie przez ponad 3 miesiące
- •Zgodność z harmonogramem wizyt i zaleceniami
- •Pacjenci, którzy otrzymali mniej niż 4 tygodnie leczenia przed rozpoczęciem badania
✗ Disqualifies
- •Chemioterapia w ciągu ostatnich 12 miesięcy przed diagnozą raka odbytnicy lub piersi
- •Reakcje alergiczne na leki
- •Wcześniejsze leczenie radioterapią miednicy
- •Inny aktywny nowotwór wymagający leczenia systemowego (z pewnymi wyjątkami)
- •Problemy z jelitami w ciągu ostatnich 12 miesięcy
- •Otrzymywanie odżywiania pozajelitowego lub przez sondę
- •Niewydolność serca klasy III lub wyższej
- •Znaczne uszkodzenie nerwów (neuropatia) przed rozpoczęciem leczenia
Simplified criteria — AI translation
Trial details
- Minimum age
- 21 Years
- Last updated (source)
- July 29, 2026
- Sex
- No restrictions
Therapies / drugs in trial
Locations (1)
Alaska Native Medical Center (ANMC)
Anchorage, United States
Trial contact
Timothy Thomas, MD
Contact information from ClinicalTrials.gov. Contact in English.
Share this trial
Data from ClinicalTrials.gov. AI-assisted translation, last sync: 7/31/2026.
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