Skip to content

Characterization of Metabolic Changes in the Glioma Tumor Tissue Induced by Transient Fasting (ERGO3)

Characterization of Metabolic Changes in the Glioma Tumor Tissue Induced by Transient Fasting (ERGO3)

Status
Active, not recruiting
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04461938
Acronym
ERGO3
Enrollment
30
Registered
2020-07-08
Start date
2020-08-19
Completion date
2025-06-30
Last updated
2024-10-17

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

Conditions

Glioma, Mixed

Keywords

metabolism-nutritional intervention-ketogenic diet-fasting

Brief summary

Nutritional interventions such as ketogenic diet (KD) or fasting are currently under evaluation as anti-cancer treatment. In glioma patient cohorts, the feasibility and safety of fasting in addition to antitumor treatment has been shown. However, it is still unclear whether fasting exerts effects on the glioma tumor tissue at all, and whether fasting causes metabolic or immunological changes in the glioma microenvironment that could be exploited therapeutically. Therefore, the central contribution of this study is to characterize metabolic and immunological changes in the glioma tumor tissue induced by a fasting cycle of 72 hours prior to biopsy or resection.

Interventions

OTHERFasting

The study intervention consists of one fasting cycle of 72 hours prior to biopsy/resection. Depending on clinical condition, patients can be hospitalized during the course of the study (e.g. need for medical assistance due to immobilization). Patients in good clinical condition will be admitted on day 3.

Sponsors

Goethe University
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

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

Inclusion criteria

* suspicion of glioma World Health Organization (WHO) grade II, III or IV as assessed by cerebral imaging (MRI) * MRI-suspected relapse of previously diagnosed glioma * interdisciplinary recommendation for resection or biopsy * karnofsky performance status \>= 60, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG) \<= 2 * creatinine \<= 2,0 mg/dl, urea \<= 100 mg/dl * alanine aminotransferase (ALAT), alanine aminotransferase aspartate transaminase (ASAT) \<= 7x upper normal limit * international normalized ratio (INR) ≤ 1,5, thrombocytes \> 100000/µl, leukocytes \> 3000/µl

Exclusion criteria

* bowel obstruction, subileus * insulin-dependent diabetes * dexamethasone \>4mg/day * decompensated heart failure (NYHA \> 2) * myocardial infarction within the last 6 months, symptomatic atrial fibrillation * severe acute infection or clinically relevant immunosuppression (HIV infection, granulocytopenia \<1000/ µl, lymphocytopenia \<500/ µl * malnutrition, cachexia (BMI \<18) * other medical conditions that might increase the risk of the dietary intervention * pregnancy * uncontrolled thyroid function * pancreatic insufficiency * dementia or other clinically relevant alterations of the mental status which could impair the ability of the patient to apply to the diet or understand the informed consent of the study * major contraindications to MRI scanning (e.g. presence of implanted MRI-incompatible cardiac devices)

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Changes in metabolism - induction of ketosis5 daysThe presence of ketone bodies in patient blood will be assessed by capillary sampling from a finger or an ear lobe. The presence of ketone bodies in urine will be assessed by urine test strips.
General metabolic changes5 daysMain target parameters of MR spectroscopic imaging are detection of intracerebral ketone bodies (acetone, acetoacetate, beta-hydroxybutyrate), changes in lactate and adenosine triphosphate / adenosine diphosphate (ATP/ADP) concentrations and changes in intracellular pH (pHi) as determined from the chemical shift difference between inorganic phosphate (Pi) and phosphocreatine (PCr). Tumor tissue and healthy appearing normal white matter of the contralateral hemisphere will be examined. Tumor tissue will be analysed by metabolome and proteome analysis and RNA sequencing. Patient serum will be analysed by proteome analysis.
Immunological changes5 daysFlow cytometry including T- and B-lymphocytes natural killer (NK) cells in blood samples. Analysis of gut microbiome prior to and following fasting.
Alterations in electric brain activity5 daysNon-invasive electroencephalography (EEG) will be performed prior to and following fasting. It will be assessed with regard to chief frequencies and the presence of epilepsy-associated manifestations (e.g. epileptiform discharges, seizures).

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Intake of fluids and calories reported by dietary diary5 daysPatients will be asked keep a dietary diary for days 0 to 4 reporting on their intake of fluids and/or calories.
Assessment to measure the tolerability of the diet by questionnaire5 daysA short questionnaire of 8 aspects concerning the tolerability of the diet will be handed out. The patients will be asked to grade their consensus to each statement by 1 to 5 where 1 is defined as not at all and 5 as very relevant for daily life.

Countries

Germany

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 21, 2026