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Protein-rich Nutritional Therapy Combined With Time-efficient Exercise in Cancer Therapy

Effects of a Protein-rich Individualized Nutritional Therapy Combined With Different Time-efficient Exercise Programs on Physical Fitness, Inflammation and Muscle Status in Cancer Patients Undergoing Curative or Palliative Anti-cancer Treatment

Status
UNKNOWN
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04065815
Acronym
PROTECT
Enrollment
100
Registered
2019-08-22
Start date
2019-05-01
Completion date
2022-03-31
Last updated
2019-08-22

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Cancer, Cancer Cachexia, Inflammation

Keywords

Cancer, Cachexia, Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Nutrition, Protein intake, Muscular strength, Body composition, High-intensity interval training, Physical exercise, Resistance exercise, whole-body electromyostimulation

Brief summary

This study aims to evaluate the effects of a 12-week protein-rich individualized nutritional therapy combined with different time-efficient exercise programs on overall physical fitness (cardiorespiratory fitness and muscular fitness), inflammation, and muscle mass/body composition in patients with malignant disease undergoing curative or palliative anti-cancer treatment

Interventions

OTHERResistance Training

Conventional Resistance Training: Nutritional therapy (individualized, protein-rich nutritional therapy and counseling; targeted protein intake/day: 1.2 - 1.5 g per kg bodyweight) during a study period of 12 weeks combined with a resistance training program consisting of five exercises: exercises (chest, upper/lower back, abdominals, legs) * 1 set per exercise * time-effort per session: \ 20 min * 2 training sessions per week

OTHERWB-EMS

Whole-Body Electromyostimulation (WB-EMS): Nutritional therapy (individualized, protein-rich nutritional therapy and counseling; targeted protein intake/day: 1.2 - 1.5 g per kg bodyweight) during a study period of 12 weeks combined with WB-EMS training: * Stimulation protocol: Frequency of 85 Hz, pulse duration of 0.35 ms, stimulation period of 6 sec, resting period of 4 sec; patients perform simple exercises during the stimulation period following a video tutorial * time-effort per session: \ 20 min * 2 training sessions per week

OTHERHigh-intensity interval training (HIIT)

HIIT: Nutritional therapy (individualized, protein-rich nutritional therapy and counseling; targeted protein intake/day: 1.2 - 1.5 g per kg bodyweight) during a study period of 12 weeks combined with high-intensity interval training (HIIT): * supervised cycle-ergometer training at at 80-95% HRmax * time-effort per session: \ 15 min * 2 training sessions per week

OTHERCombined HIIT and Resistance Training (Combi)

HIIT combined with conventional Resistance Training: Nutritional therapy (individualized, protein-rich nutritional therapy and counseling; targeted protein intake/day: 1.2 - 1.5 g per kg bodyweight) during a study period of 12 weeks combined with a combined HIIT and resistance training program: HIIT: * supervised cycle-ergometer training at at 80-95% HRmax * time-effort per session: \ 15 min * 1 training session per week Resistance Training: * five exercises: exercises (chest, upper/lower back, abdominals, legs) * 1 set per exercise * time-effort per session: \ 20 min * 1 training session per week

Sponsors

University of Erlangen-Nürnberg Medical School
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Intervention model description

Parallel Assignment parallel-group, randomized-controlled study

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* malignant disease (solid or hematological cancer): head and neck cancer, colorectal carcinoma, small intestinal cancer, gastric cancer, oesophageal cancer, pancreas carcinoma, liver cell carcinoma, cholangiocarcinoma, lung cancer, breast cancer, cervix cancer, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, renal cell carcinoma, malignant melanoma, patients with leukaemia and malignant lymphomas or Graft-versus-Host-Disease after bone marrow transplantation * ongoing or planned curative or palliative anti-cancer therapy * ECOG-Status 0-2

Exclusion criteria

* simultaneous participation in other nutritional or exercise intervention Trials * bone metastases with high fracture risk * cardiovascular disease * use of anabolic medications * epilepsy * severe neurological or rheumatic diseases * skin lesions in the area of electrodes * energy active metals in body * pregnancy * acute vein thrombosis

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Overall physical fitness12 weeksCardiorespiratory Fitness and Muscular Fitness (Overall Fitness Score is calculated from Maximum Oxygen uptake, VO2max, and Muscle strength (estimated from the 1-repetition Maximum - the maximum amount of weight \[kg\] that can be lifted for one repetition) of the five major muscle groups (chest, upper back, lower back, abdominals, legs)

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Fat mass12 weeksFat mass (kg) is assessed by bioelectrical impedance Analysis (BIA)
Total Body Water12 weeksTotal Body Water (L) is assessed by bioelectrical impedance Analysis (BIA)
Patient-reported performance status-112 weeksPatient-reported performance Status will be assessed using the ECOG Performance Status questionnaire. It describes a patient's level of functioning in terms of their ability to care for themself, daily activity, and physical ability. The score ranges from 0-5 (lower values = better outcome).
Patient-reported performance status-212 weeksPatient-reported performance status-2 will be assessed using the Karnofsky index. It is used methods to assess the functional status of a Patient. The score ranges from 0-100 (higher value = better outcome).
Patient-reported Quality of Life (QoL)12 weeksPatient-reported QoL will be assessed using the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire. It contains 30 questions (items), representing various aspects/dimensions of QoL (physical, role, emotional, cognitive and social), and 3 symptom scales (fatigue, pain and nausea).The scales of the different dimensions of QoL (higher values = better outcome) and symptoms (lower values = better outcomes) range from 0-100.
Muscle mass12 weeksMuscle mass (kg) is assessed by bioelectrical impedance Analysis (BIA)
Patient-reported Physical Activity12 weeksPatient-reported Physical Activity (PA) will be assessed using the the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). IPAQ records 4 aspects of PA (job-, transportation-, housework-, and leisure-time-related). There are two forms of output from scoring the IPAQ. Results can be reported in categories (low, moderate or high PA levels) or as a continuous variable (MET minutes a week, 1 MET = resting energy expenditure). MET minutes represent the amount of energy expended carrying out physical activity. High PA = at least 1500 MET minutes/week; moderate PA: at least 600 MET minutes/week; low PA: \< 600 MET minutes/week. Higher values represent a better outcome.
Objective Physical Activity12 weeksObjective measurement of physical activity will be preformed using Pedometers. Higher values represent a better outcome.
Inflammatory blood markers12 weeksInflammation will be assessed by measuring blood levels (mg/L) of c-reactive protein (CRP) and high-sensitivity creactive protein (hs-CRP).
Cardiometabolic Risk Profile (Metabolic Syndrome Z-Score, MetS)12 weeksMetS will be calculated MetS-Z-Score will be calculated from each individual's measures of waist circumference (cm), mean arterial blood pressure (mmHg), blood levels of glucose (mg/dL), triglycerides (mg/dL), and HDL-cholesterol (mg/ dL), based on equations specific to sex.
Patient-reported Fatigue12 weeksFatigue will be assessed using the FACIT-Fatigue scale. It contains 13 items (different aspects/dimensions of fatigue) each assessed on a scale of 0-4, with lower values indicating a better outcome).

Countries

Germany

Contacts

Primary ContactHans Joachim Herrmann, Dr.
hans.herrmann@uk-erlangen.de+49 9131 8545218
Backup ContactYurdagül Zopf, Prof.
yurdaguel.zopf@uk-erlangen.de+49 9131 8545218

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026