Diet and Cognitive Training in Hematologic Cancer Survivors

NCT ID: NCT05708716

Last Updated: 2025-12-17

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

80 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2022-11-22

Study Completion Date

2027-04-30

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

The goal of this clinical trial is to examine feasibility of a cognitive intervention program in blood cancer survivors. The main questions it aims to answer are:

* is it feasible to combine a ketogenic diet supplementation and online cognitive training in an intervention program
* will patients using the combined intervention program have improved cognitive functioning compared to those who don't use it
* how long will the intervention programs effects last

Participants randomized to the intervention arm will consume an exogenous ketogenic supplementation and use an online cognitive training program for 12 weeks, while waitlist arm functions as a control group and will receive the online cognitive training only after a wait period of 12 weeks. Researchers will compare the intervention and waitlist control groups to see if the intervention improves cognitive functioning.

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

The investigators propose using "off-the-shelf" products in a 12-week multicomponent cognitive intervention program to address the cognitive impairment in outpatient hematologic malignancy survivors. The program includes two components: i) A modified ketogenic diet using an exogenous ketogenic supplementation using the KetoCal product (\[https://shop.myketocal.com/product/ketocal-41-lq\]) and ii) online cognitive training using Lumosity program (http://www.lumosity.com/).

A ketogenic diet is characterized by high fat, moderate protein and very low carbohydrate intake. Participants will follow a modified ketogenic diet consuming exogenous Ketocal tetrapaks daily to substitute \~700 calories of their daily calorie needs and limit their carbohydrate intake while maintaining an eucaloric diet. The KetoCal is a nutritionally complete, ready-to-feed ketogenic meal replacement product. The study goal is to achieve safe and tolerable levels of mild nutritional ketosis (0.5-2mmol/L betahydroxybutyrate (BHB) blood concentration). Diet education will be provided to participants on how and when to consume the KetoCal formula, foods and beverages consistent with a ketogenic diet and foods and beverages to avoid, and how to measure the ketosis using a breathalyzer daily. Safety and Tolerability monitoring will occur by recording treatment-emergent and/or treatment-related adverse events, regular monitoring of weight and satiety levels, and routine laboratory testing using fasting blood samples at baseline and 12 weeks.

The Lumosity program offers over 60 tasks in game-like format that cover the main cognitive domains: processing speed, working memory, attention and executive function. Training will involve a daily session of 5 training tasks for 12 weeks. Each time the patient is logged in for a session, a customized report will be generated by the Lumosity program to capture performance information.

Participants' cognitive functioning will be assessed at baseline and 12 weeks using objectively measured cognitive function to estimate the preliminary efficacy of intervention program; and at 24 weeks to examine the sustained effects of the multi-component intervention program.

The findings from this project will inform a definitive phase III trial of a multi-component intervention to improve cognitive outcomes in patients with hematologic malignancy.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Cognitive Impairment Hematologic Malignancy

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

Diet and Cognitive Training

The arm will follow a modified ketogenic diet using an exogenous ketogenic formula (KetoCal) and use the online cognitive training program Lumosity at time of enrollment on the study.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Modified ketogenic diet using an exogenous ketogenic formula

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants will follow a modified ketogenic diet consuming a daily exogenous ketogenic meal replacement formula while limiting their carbohydrate intake for 12 weeks.

Online cognitive training

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants will complete a daily session of 5 online cognitive training tasks for 12 weeks.

WaitList Control

The arm will only use the online cognitive training program Lumosity 3 months after enrollment in the study.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Online cognitive training

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants will complete a daily session of 5 online cognitive training tasks for 12 weeks.

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

Modified ketogenic diet using an exogenous ketogenic formula

Participants will follow a modified ketogenic diet consuming a daily exogenous ketogenic meal replacement formula while limiting their carbohydrate intake for 12 weeks.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Online cognitive training

Participants will complete a daily session of 5 online cognitive training tasks for 12 weeks.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Other Intervention Names

Discover alternative or legacy names that may be used to describe the listed interventions across different sources.

KetoCal Lumosity

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* Adult with hematologic malignancy diagnosed at age ≥21 years
* Outpatient at least 3 months from completion of blood or marrow transplant (BMT) or at least 6 months from diagnosis for patients not treated with BMT
* Evidence of mild-to-moderate cognitive impairment using either the Modified Telephone Interview for Mild Cognitive Impairment (TICS-M) or PROMIS 8a short form raw score = 19 -37
* Have daily access to an internet-connected home computer
* Can fluently read and write in English
* Can understand and sign the study-specific Informed Consent Form

Exclusion Criteria

* History of pre-existing neurological disorder or documented major psychiatric disorder
* Significant auditory, visual, or motor impairments
* History of color blindness
* Participated in neuropsychological intervention within the past 6 months
* Evidence of active chronic graft vs. host disease (GvHD) for allogeneic BMT
* History of pre-existing metabolic disease
* Allergies to soy or milk
* Body Mass Index (BMI) ≤20
Minimum Eligible Age

21 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

NIH

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of Alabama at Birmingham

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Noha Mohamed Sharafeldin

Assistant Professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Learn about the lead researchers overseeing the trial and their institutional affiliations.

Noha M Sharafeldin, MD, MSc, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Birmingham, Alabama, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

United States

Central Contacts

Reach out to these primary contacts for questions about participation or study logistics.

Noha M Sharafeldin, MD, MSc, PhD

Role: CONTACT

2056382144

Lindsey Hageman, MPH

Role: CONTACT

2056382139

Facility Contacts

Find local site contact details for specific facilities participating in the trial.

Noha Sharafeldin, MD, MSc, PhD

Role: primary

2056382144

Lindsey Hageman, MPH, CCRP

Role: backup

2056382139

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

161221006

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

R03CA270671

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link