Time Restricted Eating for the Improvement of Outcomes in Patients With Stage I-III Breast Cancer Receiving Chemotherapy Before Surgery

Time Restricted Eating for Patients With Early Stage Breast Cancer Receiving Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

This phase II trial studies whether time restricted eating (TRE) works to improve outcomes in patients with stage I-III breast cancer receiving chemotherapy before surgery (neoadjuvant) with a body mass index (BMI) 25-40. TRE has been shown to elicit similar metabolic changes as calorie restriction such as reduction in blood glucose levels, improved insulin sensitivity, and reduction of tumor cell growth. TRE may improve outcomes in patients with breast cancer.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Anatomic Stage I Breast Cancer AJCC v8; Anatomic Stage II Breast Cancer AJCC v8; Anatomic Stage III Breast Cancer AJCC v8; Invasive Breast Carcinoma
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Questionnaire Administration; Procedure: Biospecimen Collection; Other: Short-Term Fasting; Drug: Chemotherapy

Detailed Description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:

I. To evaluate the proportion of patients that can adhere to TRE in patients with early stage breast cancer who receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) for a new diagnosis of stage I-III breast cancer.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To evaluate the pathologic complete response (pCR) rate of TRE in patients with early stage breast cancer who receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) for a new diagnosis of stage I-III breast cancer.

II. To evaluate the effect of TRE in the weight management (prevention of weight gain), measured by BMI and waist circumference, in patients who are undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

III. To evaluate the percent of patients who develop Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 5.0 grade 3 or 4 toxicities IV. To evaluate the differences in the pCR rate among breast cancer patients within different race/ethnic groups, African American versus (vs.) Non-Hispanic White (AA vs NHW) and based on baseline social determinants of health when undergoing NCT.

V. To evaluate if study intervention acceptability, adherence, and engagement differ by race (AA vs NHW) and based on baseline social determinants of health.

VI. To evaluate if percent of patients with CTCAE version 5.0 grade 3 or 4 toxicities differ by race (AA vs NHW) and based on baseline social determinants of health.

EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVE:

I. To monitor changes in the following inflammatory markers in patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy with TRE: fasting glucose, hemoglobin A1c, insulin, C-peptide, C-reactive protein (CRP), leptin, adiponectin, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and free fatty acids and lipids.

OUTLINE:

Patients undergo TRE involving 16 hours of fasting and 8 hours of eating for 4 months while undergoing standard of care neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Patients also undergo blood sample collection on study.

After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up for 6 months.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 55
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Site Public Contact; Phone Number: 215-600-9151; Email: ONCTrialNow@jefferson.edu

Study Locations

• United States
  • New Jersey
    • Cherry Hill, New Jersey, United States, 08002
      • Recruiting
      • Jefferson Cherry Hill Hospital
      • Contact: Maysa Abu-Khalaf, MD; Phone Number: 215-955-8874
    • Sewell, New Jersey, United States, 08080
      • Recruiting
      • Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center Washington Township, , NJ USA
      • Contact: Maysa Abu-Khalaf, MD; Phone Number: 215-955-8874
  • Pennsylvania
    • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19107
      • Recruiting
      • Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
      • Principal Investigator: Maysa Abu-Khalaf, MD
      • Contact: Maysa Abu-Khalaf, MD; Phone Number: 215-955-8874; Email: ONCTrialNow@jefferson.edu
    • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19114
      • Recruiting
      • Jefferson Torresdale Hospital
      • Contact: Maysa Abu-Khalaf, MD; Phone Number: 215-955-8874
    • Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, United States, 19090
      • Recruiting
      • Asplundh Cancer Pavilion
      • Contact: Maysa Abu-Khalaf, MD; Phone Number: 215-955-8874

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

INCLUSION CRITERIA:

• Patient must be >= 18 years of age at time of consent and must be able to understand and provide informed consent
• BMI 25-40 at time of enrollment
• Patients must have an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0 or 1

• Patient must have a recent diagnosis of histologically confirmed primary invasive breast carcinoma

  * Oligometastatic disease is allowed if treating physician recommends standard neoadjuvant chemotherapy

• Patients must have clinical stage I-III (utilizing tumor, node, metastasis [TNM] criterion) at diagnosis
• Clinical T size must be >= 1.5 cm if there is no radiographic or clinical evidence of axillary lymph node involvement. Any size tumor is allowed if axillary lymph nodes appear to be involved
• Patient must be willing and able (have no contraindication) to receive recommended standard neoadjuvant therapy consisting of at least 16 weeks of planned neoadjuvant chemotherapy
• Patients must have organ and marrow function adequate for initiating neoadjuvant chemotherapy as determined by their treating physician
• Patient must be willing and able (have no contraindication) to participate in TRE consisting of 16 weeks
• Women of childbearing potential and sexually active males must use accepted and effective method(s) of contraception or abstain from sexual intercourse for the duration of their participation in the study and for 6 months after the last study intervention
• Patient must have a personal email address, an internet-capable device, and the ability/ willingness to read and reply to email every day for the duration of the study

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

• Clinical T4 and/or N3 disease, including inflammatory breast cancer
• Any prior treatment for the current breast cancer diagnosis, including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, or experimental therapy
• Women must not be pregnant or breast-feeding due to the potential harm to an unborn fetus and possible risk for adverse events in nursing infants with the treatment regimens being used. Patients must also not expect to conceive from the time of registration, while on study treatment, and until at least 6 months after the last study intervention
• Patients with type 1 diabetes, or type 2 diabetes treated with insulin
• Patients with a history of eating disorder
• Patients who work on a rotating shift schedule
• Patients must not have impaired decision-making capacity
• Patients who are not English speaking as study staff is only able to provide the study intervention measurement tool
• Patients that are > 2 weeks into starting neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimen

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Intervention / Treatment

Experimental: Treatment (TRE); Patients undergo TRE involving 16 hours of fasting and 8 hours of eating for 4 months while undergoing standard of care neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Patients also undergo blood sample collection on study.

Other: Questionnaire Administration; Ancillary studies; Procedure: Biospecimen Collection; Undergo blood sample collection; Other Names: Collection; Biological Sample; Collection, Biospecimen; Collected, Biospecimen; Collection, Sample; Collection, Specimen; Other: Short-Term Fasting; Undergo TRE; Other Names: Intermittent Fasting; Short-term Intermittent Fasting; Drug: Chemotherapy; Receive standard of care neoadjuvant chemotherapy; Other Names: Chemo; Chemotherapy (NOS); Cancer, General

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Proportion of patients who can adhere to time restricted eating (TRE) >= 70% of days	The proportion of patients that adhere to TRE will be estimated with the corresponding exact binomial 90% confidence interval.	While undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Pathologic complete response (pCR) rate	Will be estimated with corresponding the exact binomial 90% confidence intervals.	Up to 4 months
Percent of patients who maintain or have a reduced body mass index and waist circumference	Will be estimated with corresponding the exact binomial 90% confidence intervals.	Up to 4 months
Percent of patients who develop grade 3 or 4 toxicities	Will be assessed using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Event (CTCAE) version (v) 5.0.	Up to 4 months
Social determinants of health	Will be summarized descriptively for the entire study population and separately by the treatment received.	Up to 4 months
pCR rate among Non-Hispanic White patients	Will be tabulated estimated with corresponding the exact binomial 90% confidence intervals for entire study population and separately by the treatment received.	Up to 4 months
Acceptability, adherence, and engagement of TRE among African American versus Non-Hispanic White breast cancer patients		Up to 4 months
Incidence of adverse events	Will assess percent of patients with CTCAE v5.0 grade 3 or 4 toxicities differs among African American versus non-Hispanic White breast cancer patients.	Up to 4 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Thomas Jefferson University
• Collaborators: National Cancer Institute (NCI)
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Maysa Abu-Khalaf, MD, MBA, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 28, 2022
• Primary Completion (Estimated): May 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): May 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 13, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 7, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): April 14, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): September 3, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 31, 2026
• Last Verified: August 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Breast Carcinoma In Situ; Neoplasms; Neoplasms by Histologic Type; Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial; Adenocarcinoma; Carcinoma; Neoplasms, Ductal, Lobular, and Medullary; Carcinoma in Situ; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating; Investigative Techniques; Therapeutics; Clinical Laboratory Techniques; Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures; Diagnosis; Specimen Handling; Drug Therapy
• Other Study ID Numbers: 21D.625; JT 16674 (Other Identifier: JeffTrial Number)

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No