Researchers tested a 12-week digital program called STRONG+ for people with advanced pancreatic cancer starting chemotherapy. The program combined regular video calls with nutrition experts and palliative care doctors, plus a food tracking app. Of the 50 people who joined, 38 completed the study. Results showed participants had better nutrition and improved quality of life compared to when they started. Most people (94%) said they liked the program and found it helpful for managing their eating and symptoms during cancer treatment.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether a digital program combining nutrition counseling and supportive care could help pancreatic cancer patients eat better and feel better during chemotherapy
  • Who participated: 50 adults with advanced pancreatic cancer who were just starting palliative chemotherapy, with an average age of 65
  • Key finding: Participants had significantly lower malnutrition risk and better quality of life after 16 weeks, with 94% saying they found the program helpful
  • What it means for you: Digital support programs may help cancer patients manage nutrition and symptoms, though this was a small pilot study that needs larger trials to confirm benefits

The Research Details

This was a pilot study where all participants received the same 12-week intervention called STRONG+. Participants had regular video visits with both a dietitian and palliative care doctor during their first three months of chemotherapy. They also used a digital app to track their daily food intake and completed monthly questionnaires about their symptoms and quality of life. The research team monitored participants’ progress through a web-based dashboard that collected all this information in one place.

This study design was important because it tested whether the program was practical and acceptable to patients before investing in a larger, more expensive trial. The researchers wanted to see if people would actually use the program and find it helpful.

This was a small pilot study without a comparison group, so the results should be viewed as preliminary. However, the researchers set specific goals beforehand and met most of them, suggesting the program has promise for helping this patient population.

What the Results Show

The study met its main goals for feasibility. Sixty percent of invited patients agreed to participate (goal was 50%), and 76% completed the full program (goal was 70% retention). Participants attended 68% of their nutrition counseling sessions and 61% of supportive care visits, both meeting the researchers’ targets. Most importantly, participants showed significant improvements in their nutrition status and overall quality of life scores between the start and end of the study. The malnutrition risk scores improved substantially, and general health-related quality of life scores also increased meaningfully.

Participants completed 84% of their monthly assessments, showing good engagement with the tracking components. Caregivers were also highly satisfied with the program, with 87% rating it positively. In interviews, participants said they gained valuable knowledge about managing their nutrition and symptoms during cancer treatment.

This appears to be one of the first studies to test a combined digital nutrition and palliative care program specifically for pancreatic cancer patients. Previous research has shown that both nutrition support and palliative care can help cancer patients, but this study tested whether combining them digitally could work.

The study was small with only 50 participants and no comparison group, so we can’t be sure the improvements were due to the program versus other factors. Twelve people dropped out or died during the study. The results may not apply to all pancreatic cancer patients since participants were specifically those starting palliative chemotherapy who were well enough to participate in regular counseling sessions.

The Bottom Line

Based on these preliminary results, digital programs combining nutrition counseling and supportive care may be helpful for pancreatic cancer patients starting chemotherapy. However, larger studies with comparison groups are needed before making strong recommendations.

This research is most relevant for people with advanced pancreatic cancer who are starting palliative chemotherapy and are interested in digital health tools. It may be less applicable to those with earlier-stage disease or those uncomfortable with technology.

In this study, participants saw improvements in nutrition and quality of life over 16 weeks. However, benefits may vary individually, and more research is needed to understand typical timelines for improvement.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track daily food intake and weekly weight, along with monthly quality of life assessments including energy levels, appetite, and symptom severity
  • Use the app to schedule and prepare for regular nutrition counseling sessions while maintaining consistent food logging to identify patterns and improvements
  • Monitor nutrition risk scores monthly and track adherence to counseling sessions and supportive care visits over a 12-16 week period to assess program effectiveness

This information is for educational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare team before making changes to your cancer treatment or nutrition plan.