Clinical Research Directory

Telemedicine Nutritional Counseling for Cancer Cachexia in Pakistan

What is this study about? Cancer often causes unwanted weight loss and loss of appetite, a condition called "cancer cachexia." This affects patients' strength, quality of life, and ability to tolerate cancer treatment. Proper nutrition is very important to help maintain weight and strength during cancer treatment. Currently, cancer patients receive nutritional counseling during hospital visits, which requires travel time and expense. With telemedicine (video calls on mobile phones), nutritional counseling can be provided from patients' homes. What is the purpose of this study? This study compares two ways of providing nutritional counseling to cancer patients who have experienced weight loss: Telemedicine group: Counseling through video calls (WhatsApp, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams) from home Standard care group: Counseling during in-person hospital visits Both groups receive the same nutritional advice every 2 weeks for 12 weeks. The only difference is how the counseling is delivered (video call vs. in-person). Who can participate? Adults (18 years or older) with cancer who have lost weight in recent months and have access to a smartphone with internet connection. What will participants do? Telemedicine group: Receive counseling through 20-30 minute video calls every 2 weeks (7 sessions total) Come to hospital only twice: at the beginning and end (Week 0 and Week 12) Standard care group: Come to hospital every 2 weeks for 30-45 minute counseling sessions (7 visits total) Both groups receive: Personalized dietary advice from registered dietitians Help with eating problems (poor appetite, nausea, taste changes) Pakistani meal plans that fit their preferences Free nutritional counseling throughout the study Reimbursement for travel or mobile data costs What will be measured? Body weight change over 12 weeks Food and protein intake Arm muscle measurements Nutritional status and quality of life Patient satisfaction with counseling method Costs of each method Why is this study important? This will be the first study in Pakistan and South Asia to test whether telemedicine nutritional counseling works as well as hospital visits for cancer patients. Results will help make nutritional care more accessible, especially for patients living far from hospitals. Study Location: King Edward Medical University/Mayo Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan Duration: 12 weeks per participant Total Participants Needed: 80 patients

Study on the Pathogenesis and Reversal Strategies of Cancer Cachexia Based on Multi-Omics

Cancer cachexia is a complex systemic metabolic syndrome with high incidence and mortality rates, significantly impacting the prognosis and survival of cancer patients.Current clinical comprehensive intervention approaches can only provide transient symptom relief and fail to fundamentally block or reverse muscle and fat loss. The core challenge lies in the extreme complexity of this pathological mechanism and the lack of early biomarkers.To overcome the limitations of traditional single-dimensional research approaches, this study proposes a combined analysis method utilizing "multi-omics" (imaging omics, pathological omics, metabolomics, and metagenomics) to construct a panoramic systemic model spanning macroscopic clinical manifestations and microscopic molecular processes. The aim is to comprehensively elucidate the pathogenesis and metabolic pathways of cachexia, thereby precisely identifying potential therapeutic targets capable of reversing this pathological process.

Body Composition in Older Adults

The primary aim of the study is to explore body composition in older adults (aged 70 years and over) with cancer, undergoing systemic anticancer treatment. Additional aims include to explore the extent of body composition changes and whether changes are tumour specific, the incidence for cancer-related cachexia and sarcopenia and finally, how body composition can inform nutritional management of older adults with cancer. To do this, the investigators applied for and were awarded funding from a company called Nutricia to pay for a band 4 (0.6 WTE for 7 months) to take monthly body composition measures on the patients who are eligible, accepting of assessment by the Senior Adult Oncology Programme (SAOP) and consent to these measures. Measurements will include an analysis from the Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) machine which will quantify fat, lean muscle, and water content; waist to hip ratio; handgrip strength; calf circumferences. Socio-demographic data will also be collected. Descriptive data analysis will take place to explore possible trends and associations which may inform future research and drive even further personalised care for this growing and typically underrepresented in research, population.