Combined Oral and Parenteral Nutritional Therapy After Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer (BRIDGE-GC)

May 17, 2026 updated by: Kyo Young Song

Bridging the Postoperative Nutritional Gap After Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer: A Prospective Randomized Trial of Combined Oral and Parenteral Nutritional Therapy

Patients undergoing gastrectomy for gastric cancer frequently experience insufficient oral intake during the postoperative recovery period because of reduced gastric capacity, early satiety, and gastrointestinal symptoms. Although oral nutritional supplements (ONS) are commonly recommended, adherence is often poor, resulting in a postoperative nutritional gap.

This prospective randomized clinical trial was designed to evaluate the impact of combined oral and parenteral nutritional therapy on nutritional status and recovery after gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Patients were randomized to either a combined nutritional therapy group receiving oral nutritional supplementation plus parenteral nutrition or a control group receiving standard postoperative care.

The primary endpoint was postoperative body weight change at 4 weeks after surgery. Secondary endpoints included body composition, nutritional intake, inflammatory and immune markers, laboratory parameters, and quality of life outcomes.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Postoperative nutritional deterioration remains a major clinical challenge after gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Reduced gastric capacity and postoperative gastrointestinal symptoms frequently result in inadequate oral intake during the early recovery period. Although oral nutritional supplements are widely recommended, adherence is often poor, potentially leading to insufficient caloric intake and postoperative nutritional deficits.

This prospective randomized clinical trial evaluates whether combined oral and parenteral nutritional therapy can improve postoperative nutritional status and recovery compared with standard postoperative care. Patients undergoing curative gastrectomy for gastric cancer are randomized to receive either combined oral nutritional supplementation plus parenteral nutrition or standard postoperative nutritional management.

Nutritional outcomes including body weight, body mass index, body composition, inflammatory markers, laboratory nutritional parameters, caloric intake, oral nutritional supplement adherence, and quality of life are assessed during the postoperative recovery period.

This study aims to clarify the clinical significance of supplemental parenteral nutrition in bridging the postoperative nutritional gap after gastrectomy.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

55

Phase

  • 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 Locations

  • South Korea
    • Seoul
      • Seoul, Seoul, South Korea, 06591
        • Seoul St. Mary'S Hospital

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

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age 20 to 80 years
  • Histologically confirmed gastric cancer
  • Scheduled for curative total or subtotal gastrectomy
  • Ability to tolerate oral intake
  • Residence within areas covered by home care services
  • Written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m² or <18.5 kg/m²
  • Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus
  • Severe hepatic or renal dysfunction
  • Active malignancy other than gastric cancer
  • Previous chemotherapy or radiotherapy
  • Allergy to oral nutritional supplement products

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: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Combined Nutritional Therapy
Patients received combined oral nutritional supplementation and parenteral nutritional support during the postoperative recovery period after gastrectomy for gastric cancer.
Dietary supplement: Oral Nutritional Supplementation
Patients received oral nutritional supplementation using Encover® three times daily during the postoperative recovery period after gastrectomy for gastric cancer.
Other: Parenteral Nutrition
Supplemental parenteral nutrition was administered during hospitalization and after discharge to support postoperative nutritional requirements.
Active Comparator: Standard Postoperative Care
Patients received standard postoperative nutritional management according to institutional clinical pathways after gastrectomy for gastric cancer.
Other: Standard Postoperative Nutritional Care
Standard postoperative nutritional management according to institutional clinical pathways, including routine postoperative diet advancement and conventional nutritional support.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Postoperative Body Weight Change
Time Frame: 4 weeks after surgery
Difference between preoperative body weight and body weight measured at 4 weeks after gastrectomy for gastric cancer.
4 weeks after surgery

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Body Mass Index Change
Time Frame: 4 weeks after surgery
4 weeks after surgery

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Kyo Young Song

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)

October 1, 2020

Primary Completion (Actual)

May 31, 2024

Study Completion (Actual)

May 31, 2024

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

May 17, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 17, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

May 22, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 22, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 17, 2026

Last Verified

May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • XC17MCDI0065

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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