Feasibility of Intermittent Fasting During Chemotherapy

Intermittent Fasting During Curatively Intended Chemotherapy for Malignant Lymphoma - a Randomized Feasibility Trial

The goal of this randomized controlled parallel group trial is to examine if fasting before and after chemotherapy is safe, feasible and acceptable. The study population will include patients with either Hodgkin lymphoma or Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma.

The main questions aimed to answer are:

Whether fasting during chemotherapy is safe for patients, whether it is feasible to implement in a clinical setting, and whether patients find it acceptable.

We also want to examine a number of patient-reported outcome measures regarding health status and quality of life, such as dietary intake and adverse events from chemotherapy.

Researchers will compare fasting to standard treatment.

Participants will:

• Fast 24 hours before and 24 hours after chemotherapy in addition to standard treatment or receive only standard treatment
• Keep a diary of their dietary intake 24 hours before and 24 hours after chemotherapy
• Keep a diary of their dietary intake for three consecutive days between chemotherapy cycles
• Answer questionnaires/questions in relation to side effects from fasting, side effects/adverse events of chemotherapy, quality of life
• Take bioimpedance analysis (including body mass index and body composition)
• Take blood- and feces samples

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma planned to receive R-CHOP (rituximab, vincristine, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, and prednisolone) and Hodgkin lymphoma receiving ABVD (doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine and dacarbazine)
• Age ≥ 18 years
• ECOG status 0-2
• Normal weight and overweight (BMI ≥ 18,5 kg/m^2)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Receiving concurrent radiation therapy and/or treatment
• Other concomitant disease that may make intermittent fasting complicated such as diabetes mellitus
• ECOG status: > 3
• BMI < 18,5 kg/m2
• Age > 80 years