From Kitchen to Clinic

Part of paid clinical trials in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Sponsor
Drexel University
Study ID
NCT07454902
Status
Not Yet Recruiting

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Conditions

  • Caregiver Burden
  • Malnutrition, Child
  • Pediatric Cancer

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
5 Years - 21 Years
Healthy Volunteers
Not accepted

Interventions

  • Medically Tailored Meals — OTHER
    The total length of the intervention is 12 weeks. For 8 weeks, participants will receive weekly deliveries of 21 child-friendly MTMs plus snacks for the patient and 7 meals for the family, alongside weekly caregiver coaching sessions. In weeks 9-12, MTMs will taper to 1 meal/day for the patient, family meal support will continue, and coaching will shift to bi-weekly sessions.
  • Caregiver Coaching — BEHAVIORAL
    For 8 weeks, participants will receive weekly deliveries of 21 child-friendly MTMs plus snacks for the patient and 7 meals for the family, alongside weekly caregiver coaching sessions. In weeks 9-12, MTMs will taper to 1 meal/day for the patient, family meal support will continue, and coaching will shift to bi-weekly sessions.

Study Details

Children receiving cancer treatment often experience nutrition-related challenges, such as changes in appetite, weight, and food intake, due to treatment side effects and the demands placed on families during care. These challenges can increase caregiver stress, reduce diet quality, and contribute to short- and long-term health risks for children. While medically tailored meals have been shown to improve nutrition and reduce burden in adults with serious illness, their use in pediatric cancer care has not been well studied. This pilot study will evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a 12-week, family-centered food-as-medicine program for children undergoing active cancer treatment and their caregivers. The program combines weekly delivery of medically tailored meals with individualized caregiver coaching provided by registered dietitian nutritionists. During the first eight weeks, families receive full meal support and weekly coaching sessions, followed by a four-week transition period with tapered meal delivery and bi-weekly coaching to support sustainable nutrition practices. A total of 60 pediatric patients and their caregivers will be enrolled at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. The study will assess whether families can be successfully recruited and retained, whether they are able to participate in study activities, and whether the program is acceptable and usable during cancer treatment. The study will also explore preliminary effects on children's dietary intake, weight and growth patterns, treatment tolerance, household nutrition security, and caregiver stress and burden.

Key Dates

Start date
Mar 31, 2026
Status verified
Dec 2025
Primary completion
Sep 30, 2028
Completion
Dec 31, 2028

Study Design

Enrollment
120 participants (estimated)
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Arms

  • Experimental: Medically tailored meals and caregiver coaching
    This pilot study is a single-arm clinical trial. Sixty pediatric oncology patients and their caregivers (N=120) will be enrolled at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (Buerger and KOP locations).

Primary Outcome Measure

Recruitment feasibility [ Time Frame: Up to one year ]

Locations (1)

FacilityCityStateZIPSite coordinators
Children's Hospital of PhiladelphiaPhiladelphiaPennsylvania19104-

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By research site
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