Short-Term Nutritional Enhancement Combined With Health Education in Postoperative Colorectal Cancer Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial (NUTRI-CRC)

Xiaoqin Luo

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Colorectal Cancer (Diagnosis); Malnutrition or Risk of Malnutrition

Treatments: Drug: Personalized Parenteral Nutritional Supplementation; Behavioral: Structured Nutrition-Focused Health Education; Dietary Supplement: Personalized Oral Nutritional Supplementation

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07087561

No: XJTU1AF2025LSYY-016

Details and patient eligibility

About

This clinical study aims to evaluate whether short-term personalized nutritional support, when combined with structured health education, can improve nutritional status, quality of life, and clinical outcomes in patients who have undergone surgery for colorectal cancer (CRC). Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide, and many patients experience malnutrition and poor physical condition during treatment, which can negatively affect recovery and long-term survival.

In this multicenter, randomized, controlled clinical trial, approximately 360 postoperative CRC patients will be enrolled and randomly assigned to one of four groups: (A) nutritional enhancement combined with health education, (B) health education alone, (C) nutritional enhancement alone, or (D) standard care (control group). Nutritional support will include individualized diet counseling and oral nutritional supplements tailored to each patient's needs. Health education will be delivered using an "Internet Plus" approach, including weekly educational videos and expert consultations focusing on nutrition, physical activity, and mental health.

The primary objectives are to determine whether these interventions can improve patients' short-term nutritional status and quality of life. Secondary outcomes include the impact of interventions on long-term survival, treatment-related side effects, patient adherence to nutrition recommendations, and psychological well-being.

This study will also investigate the biological mechanisms underlying the clinical effects by analyzing changes in the gut microbiome, blood-based metabolic profiles, and immune responses. Blood, stool, and tumor tissue samples will be collected and analyzed using advanced techniques, including untargeted metabolomics, metagenomics, and single-cell sequencing.

This trial is designed to provide evidence for the integration of nutritional strategies into routine cancer care, and to guide the development of more personalized, effective nutrition-based therapies for colorectal cancer patients. Participants will be followed for up to annually up to 5 years to evaluate both clinical outcomes and biological markers of response.

Full description

This is a prospective, multicenter, open-label, randomized controlled clinical trial designed to assess the effects and underlying mechanisms of short-term nutritional enhancement combined with health education on clinical outcomes in patients undergoing surgery for non-metastatic colorectal cancer (stages IIa, IIb, IIIa). The rationale is based on the high prevalence of malnutrition among CRC patients, which significantly impacts treatment tolerance, quality of life, and long-term prognosis.

Eligible participants will be randomized into four parallel arms: (1) individualized nutritional enhancement plus structured health education; (2) structured health education alone; (3) individualized nutritional enhancement alone; and (4) standard care without additional intervention. Personalized nutrition plans will be developed based on energy and protein needs, supported by dietary counseling and the provision of oral nutritional supplements. Health education will be delivered through a digital platform, featuring weekly videos and interactive content on nutrition, exercise, and psychological well-being.

The study includes a 14-day intervention phase and a 12-month follow-up period. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, and at 1, 2, 3, 6, and 12 months, and annually up to 5 years to evaluate both clinical outcomes and biological markers of response.post-intervention. Key endpoints include improvements in nutritional status, patient-reported quality of life, and overall survival metrics.

To investigate mechanisms, the study incorporates biological sampling and multi-omics analysis. Non-targeted serum metabolomics, gut microbiota metagenomics, and single-cell RNA sequencing of tumor and adjacent normal tissues will be used to characterize metabolic and immune changes associated with the interventions. The study also evaluates the role of inflammatory markers and immune cell profiles in mediating clinical effects.

This trial is expected to generate high-quality evidence supporting the integration of nutrition and health education strategies into standard postoperative care for CRC patients. It may also identify novel metabolic or microbial biomarkers associated with treatment response and prognosis, contributing to the development of precision nutrition approaches in oncology.

Enrollment: 360 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Signed informed consent
• Age ≥ 18 years
• Pathologically confirmed diagnosis of colon or rectal cancer
• Mentally alert and capable of communication
• Willing to participate in follow-up, with an estimated life expectancy of more than 6 months
• Cancer stage IIa, IIb, or IIIa

Exclusion criteria

• Nutritional risk screening score of mPG-SGA < 2 or NRS-2002 < 3
• Diagnosed with AIDS
• History of organ transplantation
• Pregnant or breastfeeding women
• Concurrent participation in another interventional clinical trial
• Inability to care for oneself independently
• Inability to engage in physical activity during the perioperative period
• Severe comorbid conditions (e.g., uncontrolled cardiovascular disease, severe hepatic or renal dysfunction)
• Known allergy or intolerance to components of the nutritional supplements used in the study

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

---

360 participants in 4 patient groups

Nutritional Enhancement Plus Health Education

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in this arm will receive individualized nutritional enhancement along with structured health education. Nutritional intervention includes personalized dietary plans and oral nutritional supplements based on energy and protein requirements. Health education is delivered via an "Internet Plus" platform and includes weekly videos and interactive content focusing on nutrition, physical activity, and psychological support. The intervention lasts for 14 days and is followed by a 12-month, and annually up to 5 years to evaluate both clinical outcomes and biological markers of response. follow-up period.

Treatment:

Dietary Supplement: Personalized Oral Nutritional Supplementation

Behavioral: Structured Nutrition-Focused Health Education

Drug: Personalized Parenteral Nutritional Supplementation

Health Education Only

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in this arm will receive structured health education without additional nutritional supplementation. The education is delivered via an "Internet Plus" platform, including weekly videos and interactive content focused on nutrition knowledge, physical activity guidance, and psychological support. This intervention is administered for 14 days, followed by a 12-month follow-up and annually up to 5 years.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Structured Nutrition-Focused Health Education

Nutritional Enhancement Only

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in this arm will receive individualized nutritional enhancement based on personalized dietary assessment and calculated energy and protein needs. Interventions include oral nutritional supplements and tailored dietary counseling provided by a clinical nutrition team. No additional health education is provided. The intervention phase lasts for 14 days, with scheduled follow-up for 12 months and annually up to 5 years.

Treatment:

Dietary Supplement: Personalized Oral Nutritional Supplementation

Drug: Personalized Parenteral Nutritional Supplementation

Standard Care (Control)

No Intervention group

Description:

Participants in this arm will receive standard inpatient care without structured nutritional intervention or health education. Patients eat according to personal ability and appetite but do not receive individualized nutrition counseling or supplemental nutrition support. This group serves as the control group for comparison. Routine clinical follow-up will be conducted for 12 months and annually up to 5 years.