CANUT Junior : Assessment of Sensory Abilities and Eating Behavior in Pediatric Oncology: a Feasibility Study (CANUT Junior)

June 2, 2026 updated by: Centre Leon Berard

Cancer treatments in children are very intense and often cause side effects such as nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and changes in taste and smell. These sensory alterations can impact eating habits, but they are still poorly understood in children. The study aims to assess whether it is feasible to measure these sensory changes (taste, smell, salivation, and food preferences) in children and adolescents undergoing cancer treatment.

This study is a feasibility study with 30 patients aged 7 to 17 years, treated at the Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Institute (IHOPE) in Lyon. Sensory tests and questionnaires to evaluate the perceptions, oral health, eating habits, nutritional status, and quality of life are used.

The inclusion was initially planned at diagnosis, before any administration of chemotherapy. However, the study quickly encountered a recruitment problem due to the emotional impact and medical burden of this initial period of care (study offered to 11 families over a period of 5 months, 3 patients included). An amendment to the protocol was therefore made to be able to modify the inclusion period after the completion of chemotherapy. This modification was implemented on May 15, 2025, and allowed the inclusion of two new patients, making a total of 5 patients. Of these 5 patients, two completed all the tests during V0 and V1, two completed V0 but not V1, one did not complete any of the visits.

This feasibility phase will help determine whether the tools are suitable and well accepted. The results will be used to design a larger study aimed at better understanding how taste and smell alterations influence the eating behaviors of young patients during cancer treatment. Recruitment will continue for six more months in order to reach the target number of participants.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Today, the chances of survival among children and adolescents who have been diagnosed with cancer are 80%, particularly due to early diagnosis and access to appropriate care. Although multimodal care strategies have improved the survival rate in pediatric patients, highly toxic treatments cause various short- and long-term side effects such as nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and alterations in taste perception. These side effects affect the comfort and quality of life of patients and expose them to a high risk of malnutrition. Sensory alterations related to smell, taste and texture reduce appetite and pleasure in eating, thus reducing food intake. More than 45% of children and adolescents treated for cancer suffer from malnutrition, which impacts their immune function, their response to treatments, their quality of life and even the costs of care. The consequences of sensory alterations on behaviors, preferences and eating habits are still little studied in children and adolescents treated for cancer. Similarly, olfactory and somesthetic capacities are very little explored in these patients. Only few studies are available in this area in pediatrics, and no studies take into account texture perception, which is essential for food acceptance.

This study is a feasibility study aimed at exploring the tools for measuring sensory alterations. It aims to evaluate taste and olfactory capacities, as well as food preferences in terms of textures among children. The study is a single-arm intervention. The study will include 30 patients between 7 and 17 years old, newly diagnosed with oncological or hematological malignancies, treated at IHOPE (Institute of Hematology and Pediatric Oncology) in Lyon, until today 3 patients have been included. The protocol had to undergo a second session in the Ethics County for changes to the recruitment process on May 7, 2025, with the aim of having more inclusions of participants. The change consists of doing the tests before the second chemotherapy cycle instead of the first cycle since patients have a lot of procedures to do in hospital management and they did not agree to participate in the study. The measures that are taken are, olfactory and gustatory capacities, measurement of salivary quantity and quality, preference and acceptance of textures. The state of oral health, dietary habits and food consumption with questionnaires are also assessed. Measurements of weight, height and BMI are taken, and nutritional status is assessed. The Easy Assessment Score of Ingesta is also used for an early diagnosis of the risk of malnutrition or undernutrition and finally the quality of life with the help of a questionnaire.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
30

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • France
      • Lyon, France, 69008
        • Recruiting
        • Institut d'Hématologie et d'Oncologie Pédiatrique
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients treated at a pediatric oncology-hematology center, with an initial diagnosis of a solid or hematological tumor, aged 7 to 17 years inclusive.
  • Patients with functional oral feeding
  • Parent/guardian who has signed the informed consent form and patient who has not expressed refusal
  • Patients affiliated with the social security system
  • French-speaking patients
  • Validated indication for systematic oncological treatment

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Individuals with a known food allergy/intolerance to the prototypes being studied (does not apply to patients on a protected diet)
  • Individuals who have undergone surgery on the tongue
  • Patients for whom other types of cancer treatment are planned during the study period (e.g., radiation therapy)
  • Patients with dental conditions
  • Patients who have relapsed

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Experimental arm
The measures that are taken are, olfactory and gustatory capacities, measurement of salivary quantity and quality, preference and acceptance of textures. We also assess the state of oral health, dietary habits and food consumption with questionnaires. Measurements of weight, height and BMI are taken, and nutritional status is assessed. The Easy Assessment Score of Ingesta is also used for an early diagnosis of the risk of malnutrition or undernutrition and finally the quality of life with the help of a questionnaire.
Diagnostic test: tests
The measures that are taken are, olfactory and gustatory capacities, measurement of salivary quantity and quality, preference and acceptance of textures. We also assess the state of oral health, dietary habits and food consumption with questionnaires. Measurements of weight, height and BMI are taken, and nutritional status is assessed. The Easy Assessment Score of Ingesta is also used for an early diagnosis of the risk of malnutrition or undernutrition and finally the quality of life with the help of a questionnaire.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
To determine the feasibility of testing olfactory, gustatory, and salivary function in children aged 7 to 17 years undergoing chemotherapy.
Time Frame: T0 : first day of the second cycle of chemotherapy; T1 : 1 month after T0

Completion rate: proportion of patients who complete all of the following tests in full at both measurement times.

The tests will be considered feasible if at least 60% of patients complete all of the tests
T0 : first day of the second cycle of chemotherapy; T1 : 1 month after T0

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Correlation between impaired olfactory ability / impaired taste ability and: Sensitivity to texture /Texture preference / Food preferences and habits / Salivary function / Caloric intake / Nutritional status / Quality of life
Time Frame: T0 : first day of the second cycle of chemotherapy; T1 : 1 month after T0

evaluating the rate of patients presenting olfactory impairment (assessed by the Sniffin Sticks test) or taste impairment (assessed using taste strips) who are also presenting :

  • taste impairment, using the Taste Alteration Scale for Children with Cancer Receiving Chemotherapy questionnaires and the Gustonco questionnaire.
  • a modification of sensitivity to texture, measured on a 7-point smiley scale using food samples
  • a modification of food texture preference assessed using a questionnaire based on pictographic drawings.
  • a modification of food preferences and habits assessed using the Behavioral Pediatrics Feeding Assessment Scale
  • a modification of salivary function measured using a Saliva-check BUFFER kit.

The daily calorie intake of every patient will be assessed using a 24-hour food diary, the nutritional status (weight in kg, height in cm, body mass index (BMI)and the quality of life will be assessed using the PedsQL questionnaire
T0 : first day of the second cycle of chemotherapy; T1 : 1 month after T0

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Centre Leon Berard

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Institut Lyfe

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Study Director: Anestis Dougkas, Lyfe institute

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
December 13, 2024

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 13, 2024

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
June 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
March 10, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 2, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
June 8, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
June 8, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 2, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • ET23-394

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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