Actively Recruiting
Addressing Taste Dysfunction With Miraculin in Head and Neck Cancer Patients Receiving Radiation Therapy
Led by University of California, San Francisco · Updated on 2025-09-22
40
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
238 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
Sponsors
U
University of California, San Francisco
Lead Sponsor
M
Miracle Fruit Farm
Collaborating Sponsor
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
Patients diagnosed with head and neck cancer who receive radiation therapy with and without chemotherapy develop altered sense of taste due to treatment effect, which typically arises in the second week of radiation therapy and progresses throughout the course of treatment. While some symptoms such as pain, mucositis, and xerostomia can be managed with pain medications and saliva replacements, taste alteration has an earlier onset and is a more difficult symptom to readily address and intervene upon. There are no effective established interventions for taste, although this is a major issue in the patient experience. The investigator will be examining they hypothesis that a miracle fruit cube would yield the greatest benefit to improve taste dysfunction in the beginning half of radiation treatment when taste function is decreased but not absent.
CONDITIONS
Official Title
Addressing Taste Dysfunction With Miraculin in Head and Neck Cancer Patients Receiving Radiation Therapy
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Diagnosis of head and neck cancer confirmed by tissue analysis, including tumors in oropharynx, nasopharynx, oral cavity, nasal cavity, paranasal sinus, salivary gland, unknown primary head and neck origin, or cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma with surgery including neck dissection
- Planned curative-intent radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy
- Age 18 years or older at screening
- ECOG performance status 0 to 2 (Karnofsky score 60% or higher)
- Ability to understand and sign informed consent
You will not qualify if you...
- Pre-existing taste dysfunction reported before starting radiation therapy
- Receiving nutrition by tube feeding or intravenous methods before radiation therapy
- Unable to complete patient questionnaires and quality of life surveys in English
- Known allergy to berries
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
Complete this quick 3-step screening to check your eligibility
Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, California, United States, 94143
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
B
Brittany Liu
CONTACT
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
DOUBLE
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Model
PARALLEL
Primary Purpose
TREATMENT
Number of Arms
2
Not the Right Trial for You?
Explore thousands of other clinical trials that might be a better match.
Sign up to get personalized trial recommendations delivered to your inbox.
Already have an account? Log in here