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RecruitingNCT06466434Updated Sep 29, 2026

Prebiotic Food-enriched Diet (PreFED) to Enhance the Microbiome and Response to First-line Immunotherapy in Unresectable Melanoma

An interventional study of Prebiotic Food-Enriched Diet in Unresectable Melanoma, sponsored by M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-09-29.

Sponsored by M.D. Anderson Cancer Center · Not applicable, Interventional, and Supportive care

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
75
Allocation
Not applicable
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

To learn about the possible effects of a prebiotic food-enriched diet (PreFED) targeting the gut microbiome in participants with melanoma who are starting immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy.

Read the detailed description

Primary Objectives

  • Evaluate the effect of dietary intervention on the abundance of Faecalibacterium in stool samples from baseline to 12 weeks

Secondary Objectives

  • Determine the best overall response rate (BORR) to PreFED + ICB regimens and landmark ORR at 12 weeks (intervention) and 24 weeks (maintenance)
  • Determine progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) with PreFED + ICB regimens
  • Compliance and adherence to the dietary intervention at 12 weeks and maintenance at 24 weeks
  • Determine the safety (diet-related AEs) and tolerability (GSRS-IBS) of the dietary intervention at 12 weeks and maintenance at 24 weeks
  • Assess the rate of immune related adverse events in patients on ICB regimens receiving dietary intervention at 12 weeks and maintenance at 24 weeks
  • Assess the effects of dietary intervention on systemic and tumor immunity
  • Assess the effect of dietary intervention on overall gut microbiome composition and networks at 12 weeks and maintenance at 24 weeks
  • Assess the effects of dietary intervention on gut metabolic output and systemic metabolism at 12 weeks and maintenance at 24 weeks
  • Assess the effects of dietary interventions on quality of life and other patient reported outcomes (PROs) at 12 weeks and maintenance at 24 weeks
02

Conditions studied

  • Unresectable Melanoma
03

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Age ≥18 years old
  • English-speaking
  • Body mass index (BMI) 18.5-45 kg/m2
  • Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0 or 1
  • Histologically confirmed stage III/IV, unresectable cutaneous, uveal, acral or mucosal melanoma. Asymptomatic brain metastases are allowed.
  • Planned initiation of 1st line standard-of-care approved immune checkpoint blockade (anti-PD1 +/- anti-CTLA4 or anti-LAG3 inhibitors or talimogene laherparepvec T-VEC) in the metastatic setting. Prior targeted therapy or ICB in the adjuvant setting is allowed.
  • Returning to MD Anderson for restaging and follow-up (ICB treatment may occur locally)
  • Measurable disease per RECIST 1.1 or RANO criteria. Up to 10 patients without measurable can be enrolled.
  • WOCP must have negative UPT within 1 week of beginning dietary intervention.
  • Self-reported willingness to eat the provided foods (with some tailoring to their food preferences)
  • Self-reported willingness to comply with scheduled visits, undergo venipuncture, provide stool samples.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Previous ICB treatment in the metastatic setting
  • History of inflammatory bowel disease, total colectomy, or bariatric surgery.
  • Currently taking steroids > Prednisone 10 mg/day or equivalent
  • Medical contraindications to the Intervention Diet as determined by the treating physician.
  • Self-reported major dietary restrictions, including but not limited to relevant food allergies, celiac disease, or diets such as vegan, ketogenic, extended fasting.
  • Insulin-dependent diabetes or condition requiring bile acid sequestrants
  • Unable or unwilling to undergo study procedures.
  • IV antibiotic use in the past month or oral antibiotic use in past 2 weeks.
  • Regularly taking supplements containing prebiotics, fiber and/or probiotics, and unable/unwilling to discontinue for the purpose of the study.
  • Current smoker or heavy drinker (defined as >14 drinks per week) or current illicit drug use.
  • Currently pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or lactating.
  • Concurrent malignancy requiring systemic therapy other than hormonal therapy.
  • Cognitively impaired adults
04

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Supportive care
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
75 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Prebiotic food-enriched diet (PreFED)

    Participants will receive prebiotic food-enriched snacks and supportive nutritional counseling to increase prebiotic foods in the diet.

    Other: Prebiotic Food-Enriched Diet

Interventions

  • OtherPrebiotic Food-Enriched Diet

    Given by PO

05

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Evaluate the effect of dietary intervention on the abundance of Faecalibacterium in stool samples from baseline.

    Time frame: Up to 2 years

06

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
  • MD Anderson Cancer Center
    Houston, Texas 77030, United States
    Recruiting
07

References and documents

08

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT06466434
Lead sponsor
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Jun 20, 2024
Start date
Sep 1, 2024
Primary completion
Jun 30, 2028 (estimated)
Completion
Jun 30, 2029 (estimated)
Last update
Sep 29, 2026

Study contacts

Erez Baruch, MD,PHD
Contact
ENBaruch@mdanderson.org,
713-745-5530
Erez Baruch, MD,PHD
principal investigator · M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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