Sylvester Researcher is a National Leader in Understanding Nutrition’s Key Role in Cancer Treatments
Summary
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Tracy Crane, Ph.D., RDN, is a national leader in advancing research on nutrition’s impact on cancer patients before, during and after treatment.
- Dr. Crane chairs the Exercise and Nutrition Interventions to Improve Cancer Treatment-Related Outcomes study’s Diet and Malnutrition Working Group, which focuses on building a framework for collecting data and evaluating the role of nutrition in cancer care.
- Dr. Crane and colleagues have found that poor nutrition can increase the risk of treatment side effects and reduce the effectiveness of chemotherapy.
Tracy Crane, Ph.D., RDN, is a national leader in advancing research on nutrition’s impact on cancer patients before, during and after treatment.
“Nutritional interventions have the potential to enhance the effectiveness of chemotherapy and improve outcomes,” said Dr. Crane, who is director of lifestyle medicine, prevention and digital health and co-lead of the Cancer Control Program at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. “For the past few years, there has been an increasing emphasis on research to better understand the role of nutrition in cancer care. Besides helping patients through treatment, we want to optimize outcomes, reduce long-term effects and prevent cancers in the future.”
Evidence to support the development of practice guidelines on nutrition interventions during active cancer treatment is limited. So the National Cancer Institute (NCI) funded the Exercise and Nutrition Interventions to Improve Cancer Treatment-Related Outcomes (ENICTO) research consortium. Dr. Crane chairs ENICTO’s Diet and Malnutrition Working Group, which focuses on building a framework for collecting data and evaluating the role of nutrition in future studies.
“Nutrition plays a well-known role in cancer prevention and survivorship, but there is very little solid guidance on how to support patients nutritionally during chemotherapy,” said Dr. Crane.
She was the corresponding author of a recent study, “Addressing Conceptual and Design Gaps in the Oncology Nutrition Evidence Base During Chemotherapy,” published recently in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Studying Chemotherapy and Diet
Across four clinical trials, the ENICTO researchers collected detailed data on patients’ diets, symptoms and nutritional status before, during and after chemotherapy. They found that poor nutrition—whether from inadequate protein, vitamin deficiencies or food insecurity—can increase the risk of treatment side effects and reduce the effectiveness of chemotherapy. Financial stress and the inability to afford healthy food can also impact nutrition and treatment success.
“We know that chemotherapy and radiation can reduce a patient’s appetite, alter taste and smell or induce feelings of nausea,” Dr. Crane said. “However, we need more data in order to make specific nutrition recommendations to prevent malnutrition, reduce treatment-related toxicity and optimize cancer treatment.”
Melissa Lopez-Pentecost, Ph.D., RDN, a postdoctoral researcher at the Miller School, was a co-author of the study.
“It is very rewarding to work with nationally renowned scientists who are pillars in oncology nutrition,” said Dr. Lopez-Pentecost. “The National Institutes of Health is placing an increased focus on the role of diet in the treatment of cancer, and this journal article highlights how we are contributing to the advancement of this field.”
Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center Clinical Trials
Dr. Crane leads the ongoing Trial of Exercise and Lifestyle (TEAL) for Women with Ovarian Cancer, one of four clinical trials included in the ENICTO initiative. TEAL is an 18-week medical nutrition and exercise therapy program to improve chemotherapy completion and quality of life.
Other Sylvester clinical trials led by Dr. Crane include an analysis of prolonged overnight fasting and exercise on patients with metastatic breast cancer and a food and exercise intervention for newly diagnosed lymphoma patients.
“We are fortunate to have a team of oncology dietitians, as well as fitness specialists and other support services, for patients, survivors and family members,” she said.
We need more data in order to make specific nutrition recommendations to prevent malnutrition, reduce treatment-related toxicity and optimize cancer treatment.
Dr. Tracy Crane
Nutritional interventions during active treatment present unique challenges, according to Dr. Crane. The wide variety of cancer types and therapies may necessitate different dietary needs. For instance, Dr. Crane generally recommends a diet based on vegetables, fruit, beans and nuts, which provide nutrients and fiber to support a healthy gastrointestinal system. However, a diet high in proteins and fats might be more appropriate for patients with glioblastomas, because of the way the brain processes nutrients.
“Drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated is important for all cancer patients, who should avoid alcohol, high-sugar drinks, desserts and ultra-processed foods during treatment,” she added.
Dr. Crane said the ENICTO consortium will continue collecting and analyzing data through 2027, and make the findings available to the scientific community.
“Our hope is that this work will inspire more research and eventually lead to clear, evidence-based nutrition guidelines for people undergoing cancer treatment,” she said. “We encourage other researchers to adopt similar approaches—using standardized tools and focusing on real-world patient experiences—to keep moving the field forward.”
Tags: cancer and exercise, cancer research, Dr. Tracy Crane, nutrition, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center