Assessing the impact of an intensive dietitian-led telehealth intervention focusing on nutritional adequacy, symptom control and optional supplemental jejunal feeding, on quality of life in patients with pancreatic cancer: a randomised controlled trial protocol

Abstract Background Pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related death in Australia, with a persistently poor 5-year survival rate of around 13%. Symptoms arising from the disease and chemotherapy such as epigastric pain, anorexia, bloating and fat-malabsorptive diarrhoea cause poo...

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Main Authors: Emma McShane, Kate Furness, Lauren Hanna, Kate Connell, Terrence Haines, Catherine E. Huggins, John Zalcberg, Sharon Carey, Charles H.C. Pilgrim, Joanne Lundy, Andrew Metz, David Kissane, Michael Franco, John Coutsouvelis, Diederick W. De Boo, J Simon Bell, Mahesh Iddawela, Theresa Dodson, Ignatius Pereira, Nina Imad, Jill Kirkpatrick, Cherie Dear, Daniel Croagh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-04-01
Series:Nutrition Journal
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12937-025-01113-9
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author Emma McShane
Kate Furness
Lauren Hanna
Kate Connell
Terrence Haines
Catherine E. Huggins
John Zalcberg
Sharon Carey
Charles H.C. Pilgrim
Joanne Lundy
Andrew Metz
David Kissane
Michael Franco
John Coutsouvelis
Diederick W. De Boo
J Simon Bell
Mahesh Iddawela
Theresa Dodson
Ignatius Pereira
Nina Imad
Jill Kirkpatrick
Cherie Dear
Daniel Croagh
author_facet Emma McShane
Kate Furness
Lauren Hanna
Kate Connell
Terrence Haines
Catherine E. Huggins
John Zalcberg
Sharon Carey
Charles H.C. Pilgrim
Joanne Lundy
Andrew Metz
David Kissane
Michael Franco
John Coutsouvelis
Diederick W. De Boo
J Simon Bell
Mahesh Iddawela
Theresa Dodson
Ignatius Pereira
Nina Imad
Jill Kirkpatrick
Cherie Dear
Daniel Croagh
author_sort Emma McShane
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related death in Australia, with a persistently poor 5-year survival rate of around 13%. Symptoms arising from the disease and chemotherapy such as epigastric pain, anorexia, bloating and fat-malabsorptive diarrhoea cause poor oral intake and weight loss, and reduce an individual’s quality of life and ability to tolerate anti-cancer treatment. The primary aim of this study is to determine if an early, intensive telehealth nutrition intervention can improve quality of life compared to usual care for people undergoing treatment for pancreatic cancer. Methods This multicentre randomised controlled trial will recruit adults newly diagnosed with borderline resectable, locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer from multiple health services across Victoria (metropolitan and regional). The control group will receive usual nutrition care, which is site-dependent. The intervention group will receive weekly telehealth dietetic consultations for six months, targeting nutritional adequacy through dietary education and counselling, oral nutrition supplement drinks and dietetics-led symptom management advocacy, including appropriate dosing of pancreatic enzymes. Escalation to supplemental jejunal tube feeding may occur if clinically required in the intervention arm. The primary outcome is quality of life (EORTC-QLQ C30 summary score); secondary outcomes include survival, chemotherapy dosing changes, and nutrition status markers including body composition. Outcomes will be measured at baseline, and three- and six-months. Discussion The findings of this study will provide evidence of the impact that intensive nutrition therapy, including counselling, provision of oral nutrition supplement drinks and the option for jejunal feeding, has on quality of life and health outcomes in pancreatic cancer. The consistent dietetic approach with the use of telehealth consultations to reduce malnutrition and aid symptom management challenges the current model of care. Trial registration 31st January 2024, Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry (Trial ID/No. ACTRN12624000084583).
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spelling doaj-art-8a93c00900874a7e93efeed6a5215f4e2025-08-20T03:03:23ZengBMCNutrition Journal1475-28912025-04-0124111310.1186/s12937-025-01113-9Assessing the impact of an intensive dietitian-led telehealth intervention focusing on nutritional adequacy, symptom control and optional supplemental jejunal feeding, on quality of life in patients with pancreatic cancer: a randomised controlled trial protocolEmma McShane0Kate Furness1Lauren Hanna2Kate Connell3Terrence Haines4Catherine E. Huggins5John Zalcberg6Sharon Carey7Charles H.C. Pilgrim8Joanne Lundy9Andrew Metz10David Kissane11Michael Franco12John Coutsouvelis13Diederick W. De Boo14J Simon Bell15Mahesh Iddawela16Theresa Dodson17Ignatius Pereira18Nina Imad19Jill Kirkpatrick20Cherie Dear21Daniel Croagh22Nutrition & Dietetics Department, Alfred HealthDepartment of Sport, Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, School of Allied Health, Human Services and Sport, La Trobe UniversityDepartment of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food, Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash UniversityDepartment of Sport, Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, School of Allied Health, Human Services and Sport, La Trobe UniversitySchool of Primary and Allied Health Care, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash UniversityInstitute for Health Transformation, Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition, School of Health and Social Development, Deakin UniversityDepartment of Medical Oncology, Alfred HealthNutrition and Dietetics Department, Royal Prince Alfred HospitalSchool of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash UniversityDepartment of Medical Oncology, Peninsula HealthDepartment of Gastroenterology, Royal Melbourne HospitalSchool of Medicine, University of Notre Dame AustraliaSt Vincent’s HealthCentre for Medication Use and Safety, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash UniversityDepartment of Radiology, Monash Medical Centre, Monash HealthCentre for Medication Use and Safety, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash UniversitySchool of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash UniversityUpper Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Monash Medical Centre, Monash HealthDepartment of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences, School of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash UniversityDepartment of Nursing and Allied Health, School of Health Sciences, Swinburne University of TechnologyConsumer RepresentativesConsumer RepresentativesUpper Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Monash Medical Centre, Monash HealthAbstract Background Pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related death in Australia, with a persistently poor 5-year survival rate of around 13%. Symptoms arising from the disease and chemotherapy such as epigastric pain, anorexia, bloating and fat-malabsorptive diarrhoea cause poor oral intake and weight loss, and reduce an individual’s quality of life and ability to tolerate anti-cancer treatment. The primary aim of this study is to determine if an early, intensive telehealth nutrition intervention can improve quality of life compared to usual care for people undergoing treatment for pancreatic cancer. Methods This multicentre randomised controlled trial will recruit adults newly diagnosed with borderline resectable, locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer from multiple health services across Victoria (metropolitan and regional). The control group will receive usual nutrition care, which is site-dependent. The intervention group will receive weekly telehealth dietetic consultations for six months, targeting nutritional adequacy through dietary education and counselling, oral nutrition supplement drinks and dietetics-led symptom management advocacy, including appropriate dosing of pancreatic enzymes. Escalation to supplemental jejunal tube feeding may occur if clinically required in the intervention arm. The primary outcome is quality of life (EORTC-QLQ C30 summary score); secondary outcomes include survival, chemotherapy dosing changes, and nutrition status markers including body composition. Outcomes will be measured at baseline, and three- and six-months. Discussion The findings of this study will provide evidence of the impact that intensive nutrition therapy, including counselling, provision of oral nutrition supplement drinks and the option for jejunal feeding, has on quality of life and health outcomes in pancreatic cancer. The consistent dietetic approach with the use of telehealth consultations to reduce malnutrition and aid symptom management challenges the current model of care. Trial registration 31st January 2024, Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry (Trial ID/No. ACTRN12624000084583).https://doi.org/10.1186/s12937-025-01113-9MalnutritionPancreatic cancerNutrition impact symptomsRandomised controlled trialPancreatic exocrine insufficiencyDietitian
spellingShingle Emma McShane
Kate Furness
Lauren Hanna
Kate Connell
Terrence Haines
Catherine E. Huggins
John Zalcberg
Sharon Carey
Charles H.C. Pilgrim
Joanne Lundy
Andrew Metz
David Kissane
Michael Franco
John Coutsouvelis
Diederick W. De Boo
J Simon Bell
Mahesh Iddawela
Theresa Dodson
Ignatius Pereira
Nina Imad
Jill Kirkpatrick
Cherie Dear
Daniel Croagh
Assessing the impact of an intensive dietitian-led telehealth intervention focusing on nutritional adequacy, symptom control and optional supplemental jejunal feeding, on quality of life in patients with pancreatic cancer: a randomised controlled trial protocol
Nutrition Journal
Malnutrition
Pancreatic cancer
Nutrition impact symptoms
Randomised controlled trial
Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency
Dietitian
title Assessing the impact of an intensive dietitian-led telehealth intervention focusing on nutritional adequacy, symptom control and optional supplemental jejunal feeding, on quality of life in patients with pancreatic cancer: a randomised controlled trial protocol
title_full Assessing the impact of an intensive dietitian-led telehealth intervention focusing on nutritional adequacy, symptom control and optional supplemental jejunal feeding, on quality of life in patients with pancreatic cancer: a randomised controlled trial protocol
title_fullStr Assessing the impact of an intensive dietitian-led telehealth intervention focusing on nutritional adequacy, symptom control and optional supplemental jejunal feeding, on quality of life in patients with pancreatic cancer: a randomised controlled trial protocol
title_full_unstemmed Assessing the impact of an intensive dietitian-led telehealth intervention focusing on nutritional adequacy, symptom control and optional supplemental jejunal feeding, on quality of life in patients with pancreatic cancer: a randomised controlled trial protocol
title_short Assessing the impact of an intensive dietitian-led telehealth intervention focusing on nutritional adequacy, symptom control and optional supplemental jejunal feeding, on quality of life in patients with pancreatic cancer: a randomised controlled trial protocol
title_sort assessing the impact of an intensive dietitian led telehealth intervention focusing on nutritional adequacy symptom control and optional supplemental jejunal feeding on quality of life in patients with pancreatic cancer a randomised controlled trial protocol
topic Malnutrition
Pancreatic cancer
Nutrition impact symptoms
Randomised controlled trial
Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency
Dietitian
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12937-025-01113-9
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