Exploring Individual Nutrition Care Elements and Nutritional Evaluation Methods Within Dietetic Practice in Cancer Care
NCT Number: NCT06531174
Status: RECRUITING
Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
Conditions: Cancer|Malnutrition
Sponsor: Uppsala University
Collaborators: Uppsala University Hospital|Karolinska University Hospital
Sex: ALL
Age: ADULT, OLDER_ADULT
Enrollment: 150
Study Design: Observational Model: |Time Perspective: p
Start Date: 2024-06-20
Completion Date: 2026-12-31
Locations: Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden

Summary:
The purpose of the study is to explore and deepen the understanding of the dietitian's role and work related to individually tailored nutritional treatment in cancer care. The research questions focus on behavior change strategies, goal setting, the possibility of using calf circumference to assess changes in muscle mass, and mapping energy and protein intake, nutritional symptoms, and food-related quality of life during nutritional treatment for cancer patients.

In the first part of the project, audio recordings of conversations between dietitians and patients with cancer will be conducted to investigate the dietitian's work with behavior change strategies and goal setting. Data analysis will be performed using two different methods: content analysis and thematic analysis. The research subjects include both dietitians and cancer patients who engage in conversations.

The second part of the project will include 100 patients with cancer at risk for or with malnutrition. Data collection will involve measurements of weight, height, calf circumference, muscle mass, energy and protein intake, nutritional symptoms, and food-related quality of life.

Primary Outcome Measures: Calf Circumference, Measured on right and left calf, Baseline, 1 month and 3 months
Secondary Outcome Measures: Fat Free Mass and Fat Mass, Measured with bioimpedance analysis, Baseline, 1 month and 3 months|Food-Related Quality of Life, Measured with the questionnaire Satisfaction with Food-Related Life. This instrument contains seven statements where the participant responds on a seven-point scale from 'Strongly disagree' to 'Strongly agree'. A higher rating indicates a worse outcome., Baseline, 1 month and 3 months|Energy and Protein Intake, Measure with a repeated 24 h recall interview, Baseline, 1 month and 3 months|Nutrition Impact Symptoms, Measured with the Eating Symptoms Questionnaire (13 symtoms to be rated on a five-level scale from no trouble at all to severe) and the Disease-Related Appetite Questionnaire (11 questions about appetite, hunger and other symtoms). A higher number of symtoms indicates a worse outcome., Baseline, 1 month and 3 months|Quality of Life, Measured with the instrument EORTC QLQ-C30. Includes 28 symptoms or issues, each rated on a four-level scale from 1= 'not at all' to 4 = 'very much. A higher score indicates a worse outcome. The lowest aggregated score of the instrument is 28 and the highest is 112. The instrument also contains two questions where one is to rate their overall health and quality of life on a seven-level scale from 1= 'Very poor" to 7= 'Excellent'., Baseline, 1 month and 3 months|Muscle Function and Strength, Measured with 30s chair stand test and hand dynamometer, Baseline, 1 month and 3 months
Other Outcome Measures: Categories and frequencies of Behaviour Change Strategies, For part 1 of the project, data is collected by conversation recordings. The behaviour change taxonomy (v1) by Miche et al (2013) will be used to categorize and count the strategies., Baseline