Research & Initiatives
Here are some past and current projects. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you want to talk more!
Targeting HealthY eating to Manage Energy while living with cancer as a chronic condition (THYME)
We are looking closely at *when* people are eating, and how nutrient timing is related to daytime energy levels while living with chronic cancer. All participants meet with a nutritionist for individual nutrition counseling, and half of participants are asked to eat within a 10-hour eating window. Participants are asked to come into the lab three times over the course of one year for physical function assessments.
Key eligibility criteria include:
-You are living with advanced prostate cancer or metastatic breast cancer and are or were on hormone therapy.
-You are at least 55 years old.
Full description of the study: <clinicaltrials.gov link pending>
If you are interested in learning more, contact Carin Clingan, MS, CNS, LDN, lead coordinator, at carin.clingan@umaryland.edu
Take the Reins: The effects of nutrient timing on cancer-related fatigue
We are looking closely at both what and when people eat to see if these factors contribute to people's energy levels. Specifically, we will evaluate whether a time-restricted eating pattern vs. an unrestricted eating pattern will affect perceived energy levels. This study is bring run completely remotely; you do not need to come in for any in-person assessments.
You may be eligible if:
-You have a diagnosis of a blood cancer (lymphoma, leukemia, multiple myeloma)
-You are at least 2 months post-treatment (chemotherapy, CAR-T therapy). If you have stable disease and are on maintenance therapy that is ok.
-You have been living with mild-severe fatigue
Full description of the study: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06482515
If you are interested in learning more, contact Carin Clingan, MS, CNS, LDN, lead coordinator, at carin.clingan@umaryland.edu
Relationships between nutrient composition, timing, and physiological responsiveness (ADRIAN)
We are recruiting people living with prostate cancer or metastatic breast cancer on hormone therapy. Everyone meets with a nutritionist, and some people are asked to eat within a 10-hour eating window. We ask that you come in once at the beginning of the study and once at the end for assessments including body weight and composition, blood sugar regulation, blood pressure laying down vs. standing up, and others.
https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05968144
Status: Closed to recruitment. Data collection and analysis underway.
Leveraging technology to address POST-treatment Health Outcomes of Cancer survivors (POSTHOC)
We partnered with Charles River Analytics to build a digital version of the Survivorship Care Plan. We are testing the effects of the digital vs. traditional paper-based version of the Survivorship Care Plan on global symptom burden in the early post-treatment phase of survivorship.
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05499663
Results:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41307872/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42344706/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41812018/
Diet and Nutrition in Cancer (DANICA)
Almost all patients who undergoes chemotherapy for cancer experiences cancer-related fatigue. We hypothesized that the components of the Mediterranean Diet, such as high protein, anti-inflammatory properties, antioxidant properties, would prevent fatigue. We investigated the effects of a Mediterranean Diet on cancer-related fatigue and underlying mitochondrial mechanisms. We found that the Mediterranean Diet led to less fatigue during chemotherapy for people who did not follow a Mediterranean Diet before the study. We also found that mitochondrial dysfunction was associated with cancer-related fatigue.
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04534738
Results:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36077737/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36942399/
Fatigue REDuction After Cancer (FREDA)
We think that this fatigue might be related to impaired circadian rhythms, or disruption of a person’s internal body clock. We showed that time-restricted eating may be able to help entrain circadian rhythms and reduce persistent fatigue.
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05256888
Results:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40186671/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42285824/
Time-restricted eating (TRE) Feasibility Pilot Trial
Time-restricted eating is a practice in which people eat all their food within specific window during the day, for example 10-hours. We found that cancer survivors are willing and able to adhere to the TRE pattern. People felt less fatigue at the end of the study vs. before.
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04243512
Results:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36131848/
