Dietary habits and genetic factors associated with the alleviation of cancer therapy-related adverse events: a protocol for a prospective observational cohort study

Abstract

Introduction Despite substantial research investments aiming to prevent cancer and develop therapeutic interventions, cancer remains a formidable challenge. In view of the persistent rise in cancer prevalence, the condition should also be recognised as a chronic disease. Such an approach can enhance the quality of life of patients with cancer, inhibit treatment-related adverse events and prevent recurrence via comprehensive post-treatment management. The core objective of this study is to investigate the association between dietary factors and treatment-related adverse events in patients with cancer, with the aim of providing individualised dietary recommendations to reduce adverse events and enhance quality of life. Methods and analysis The study cohort will include 600 participants aged >= 20 years. The participants will be assessed for dietary intake, cancer therapy-related adverse events and single-nucleotide polymorphisms using genomic DNA extracted from saliva. In addition, general and clinical information, lifestyle patterns and general/biochemical data of the blood will also be collected. The primary outcome is dietary factors that mitigate chemotherapeutic adverse events, and the secondary outcome is the association between nutritional status and survival in Korean patients with cancer. Considering the potential impact of dietary habits on the adverse events of cancer treatment, the findings of this study can be used as a basis for the establishment of new dietary guidelines for patients with cancer. Ethics and dissemination The Institutional Review Board of Severance Hospital, Yonsei University Health System, Seoul, Korea, approved the study protocol (4-2021-1110). Further, all participants provided a written informed consent prior to the study. The findings will be shared via publications.