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. This study will evaluate the ability of a time-restricted eating program (10-hour eating window during the day, fasting 14 hours at night) vs. a nutrition counseling control intervention to reduce fatigue and frailty, as well as shed light on relationships between a person’s internal body clock, physiology, and physical function. 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: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07826871
Status: Recruiting
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
Status: Recruiting
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 recruited people living with prostate cancer or metastatic breast cancer on hormone therapy to test the feasibility of time-restricted eating while living with cancer as a chronic condition. We found that people were willing to sign up for the study, and that people were able to adhere to a 10-hour eating window. We found associations between higher amplitudes of rest-activity rhythms and less fatigue. We also saw associations between a higher dynamic range in urinary hormones that have a circadian pattern (e.g., norepinephrine) and lower frailty. These results warrant future research that strengthens circadian rhythms in order to minimize fatigue and frailty.
Full description of the study: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05968144
Status: Closed to accrual
Results:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42570448/
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 found that a digital vs. traditional paper-based version of the Survivorship Care Plan helped reduce global symptom burden in the early post-treatment phase of survivorship.
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05499663
Status: Closed to accrual
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.
Full description of the study: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04534738
Status: Closed to accrual
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
Status: Closed to accrual
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
Status: Closed to accrual
Results:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36131848/
