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Colorectal CarcinomaNCT04666727

Role of Diet on the Microbiome of the Digestive System

An observational study of Colorectal Carcinoma, run by M.D. Anderson Cancer Center at 1 site in United States.

Recruiting

Looking for participants now. Contact the study team or a site below to ask about taking part.

Sites and contacts
Official record
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Trial summary

This study is to learn more about how diet affects the microbiome (bacteria and microorganisms) of the digestive system. Researchers want to learn if this, in turn, has an effect on if and how people then develop colorectal cancer. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 45 years and older
Conditions the study is for
Colorectal Carcinoma
How many people
30 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
29 Sep 2020to 1 Jan 2027
Phase
Observational
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 45 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Study population: Patients presenting for a screening colonoscopy at MD Anderson West Houston

Who may be able to join

  • GROUP I: Patients presenting for a screening colonoscopy
  • GROUP I: Age of 45 and above
  • GROUP I: Strict vegetarian diet, determined by using diet history questionnaire 3.0 National Institutes of Health (NIH)
  • GROUP I: Non smoker
  • GROUP I: Ability to understand and willingness to sign an informed consent form, complete web based dietary assessment and provide stool, colonic mucosa and blood samples
  • GROUP II: Patients presenting for a screening colonoscopy
Show all 10Show fewer
  • GROUP II: Age of 45 and above
  • GROUP II: Omnivorous diet
  • GROUP II: Non smoker
  • GROUP II: Ability to understand and willingness to sign an informed consent form, complete web based dietary assessment and provide stool, colonic mucosa and blood sample

Who cannot join

  • • Current smokers (nicotine abuse only)
  • Positive family history of colon cancer or colon cancer related syndromes
  • Recent use of antibiotics in 1 month
  • History of inflammatory bowel disease, and/or radiation enteritis or colitis
  • Pregnant and breastfeeding women
  • Women of child-bearing potential who have positive urine or serum pregnancy test
Show all 10Show fewer
  • Heavy drinker (defined as more than 14 drinks per week)
  • Currently using anti-flatulence medications, probiotics and/or fiber supplements
  • Major dietary restrictions and/or following a special diet
  • Patient with positive fecal test/symptoms

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.

Anusha Thomas, MD contact

713-563-9600

asthomas1@mdanderson.org

United States1 site, 1 recruiting
  • M D Anderson Cancer Center

    Houston, Texas, 77090

    Anusha Thomas, MD, 713-563-9600, asthomas1@mdanderson.org

    Recruiting

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: The Role of Diet and the Microbiome in Inducing Somatic Mutations in Colorectal Epithelial Cells and Its Predisposition to Carcinogenesis - A Pilot Study

This study is to learn more about how diet affects the microbiome (bacteria and microorganisms) of the digestive system. Researchers want to learn if this, in turn, has an effect on if and how people then develop colorectal cancer.

Read the detailed description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

  1. To evaluate the differences in dietary patterns among individuals reporting to be vegetarian and omnivorous.

II. To compare the difference in stool microbiome pattern in the above mentioned two groups of individuals.

III. To compare somatic mutations in colorectal epithelial cells in the above mentioned two groups of individuals.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVE:

  1. To identify and characterize an association between diet, the microbiome and its genotoxic effect on the colorectal epithelial cells and predisposition to colorectal carcinogenesis.

OUTLINE:

Participants complete dietary questionnaire over 30-60 minutes and undergo collection of stool, blood, and tissue samples for analysis via sequencing and laser dissection.

Medical subject headings
Colorectal Neoplasms

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Dietary patterns

    Will obtain estimates of dietary patterns from colonic mucosal biopsies in each group.

    Measured: Baseline

  2. Microbiome composition

    Will obtain estimates of microbiome composition from colonic mucosal biopsies in each group. Microbiome composition will be quantified using 16S profiling will be visualized across samples using stacked bar plots and principal coordinate analysis of the weighted Unifrac distances, and microbiome diversity within each sample will be quantified using the inverse-Simpson index.

    Measured: Baseline

  3. Somatic mutation burden

    Will obtain estimates of somatic mutation burden from colonic mucosal biopsies in each group.

    Measured: Baseline

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted14 Dec 2020
  2. Study start29 Sep 2020
  3. Primary completion1 Jan 2027 (estimated)
  4. Study completion1 Jan 2027 (estimated)

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Observational
Observational model
Case-control
Time perspective
Cross-sectional
Enrolment
30 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT04666727
Sponsor's protocol ID
2019-1148
Status last verified
May 2026
First submitted
8 Dec 2020
Last updated
26 May 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

An observational study of Colorectal Carcinoma, run by M.D. Anderson Cancer Center at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 10 inclusion and 10 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 26 May 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

Contact Anusha Thomas, MD (713-563-9600, asthomas1@mdanderson.org), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Dietary patterns (time frame: Baseline). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 26 May 2026.

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