BETRC Digital
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Be Treatment Ready - Colorectal Digital (BeTR-C Digital), the development of a digital based healthcare tool for improved nutritional care of people with colorectal cancer receiving chemotherapy treatment.
IRAS ID
303154
Contact name
Jane Hopkinson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cardiff University
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
1303, CTR Portfiolio UID
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 7 months, 31 days
Research summary
Research Summary
Be Treatment Ready - Colorectal (BeTR-C Digital), the development of a digital based healthcare tool for improved nutritional care of people with colorectal cancer receiving chemotherapy treatment.
Malnutrition is common during chemotherapy treatment for colorectal cancer. It is caused by the disease, its symptoms, and the side effects of treatments. We know that people with good nutritional status during treatment experience less treatment toxicity. They also live longer. In the UK, 16,000 people die from this cancer annually. Three in every five people diagnosed with later Stage III-IV disease will receive chemotherapy. Many of them experience malnutrition and they include people who are underweight or overweight.
We want to know how to support guideline recommended oral nutritional intake during chemotherapy for colorectal cancer patients with a digital resource. Our research question is, What is an acceptable, user friendly and relevant digital resource for colorectal patients receiving chemotherapy and at risk of malnutrition?
This project will be conducted in Southeast Wales. It will use findings from our earlier research and systematic literature review. The purpose will be to coproduce with patients (n=24), carers (n=12) and clinicians (n=12) during four workshops (12 participants per workshop) a digital based healthcare tool which supports good nutrition throughout chemotherapy treatment for colorectal cancer. It will be called, I-EAT: I eat to recover from bowel cancer. Seastorm, a new technical start-up company with focus on healthcare, will build the digital tool. We plan to user test then trial BeTR-C Digital for impact on nutritional status in a future project.
BeTR-C Digital will be designed to help patients adhere to the European guideline recommended food intake during chemotherapy. These recommendations support nutritional status for good quality of life during treatment and good treatment response with prolonged life.
Summary of Results
In the UK, 16,000 people die from bowel cancer annually, and three in every five people diagnosed with late Stage III-IV disease will receive chemotherapy. Many of them experience malnutrition, including people who are underweight or overweight. Colorectal cancer is a type of bowel cancer that begins in the last part of the digestive tract. Malnutrition is common during chemotherapy treatment for colorectal cancer. It is caused by the disease, its symptoms, and the side effects of treatments. We know that people with good nutritional status during treatment experience less treatment toxicity. They also live longer.
REC name
Wales REC 6
REC reference
22/WA/0166
Date of REC Opinion
19 Jul 2022
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion