A Phase 3 interventional study of Protein-enriched peripheral parenteral nutrition (Winuf A+ injection) and Standard peripheral parenteral nutrition (Winuf injection) in Stomach (Gastric) Cancer, sponsored by Soonchunhyang University Hospital. Recruiting at 1 site in South Korea. Open to participants aged 19 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-05-19.
Sponsored by Soonchunhyang University Hospital · Phase 3, Interventional, and Treatment
This randomized study will evaluate whether protein-enriched parenteral nutrition improves early postoperative recovery in patients undergoing gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Participants will be assigned to receive either protein-enriched parenteral nutrition or standard parenteral nutrition during the perioperative period. The primary outcome is nitrogen balance on postoperative day 5. Secondary outcomes include postoperative complications, recovery of oral intake, and short-term changes in nutritional status and body composition.
Gastrectomy for gastric cancer induces a significant postoperative catabolic state, making adequate protein delivery crucial for optimal tissue healing and recovery. In the modern era of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols, the routine use of central venous catheters for total parenteral nutrition (CPN) is heavily discouraged due to its invasiveness, infection risks, and hindrance to early mobilization. Consequently, Supplemental Parenteral Nutrition (SPN) via a peripheral route has emerged as the preferred strategy to bridge the nutritional gap when early oral intake is insufficient.
However, traditional standard peripheral parenteral nutrition (PPN) is inherently limited by osmolarity constraints to prevent peripheral phlebitis. This physical restriction often results in a critically inadequate supply of amino acids, failing to meet the heightened protein demands required to reverse acute postoperative catabolism and prevent rapid muscle depletion.
Recently, novel protein-enriched peripheral parenteral formulations have been developed to overcome this exact limitation, allowing for a higher, optimal amino acid load to be delivered safely via peripheral veins. The PROGAIN trial aims to evaluate the clinical impact of these advanced formulations. The investigators hypothesize that utilizing protein-enriched PPN, compared to standard PPN, will effectively blunt the catabolic response, significantly improve postoperative nitrogen balance, and facilitate earlier functional recovery in gastric cancer patients without compromising the principles of the ERAS pathway.
3,399 studies on the registry are indexed under Stomach Neoplasms; 992 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 110 is above the median of 66 across 2,499 interventional studies indexed under Stomach Neoplasms.
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Exclusion Criteria:
Patients with severe metabolic abnormalities confirmed by preoperative laboratory tests, including but not limited to:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Two enzymes measured in a routine blood test of the liver. Higher levels can mean the liver is under strain or damaged. SGPT and SGOT are older names for ALT and AST.
Criteria usually give a limit as a multiple of the upper limit of normal (ULN), often higher when cancer has spread to the liver.
The top of the normal range for a blood test, as set by the laboratory that runs it. Each lab prints its own range next to your result.
“≤ 2.5 × ULN” means the result can be up to two and a half times that top value.
A yellow substance made when red blood cells are broken down, which the liver clears. A high level can mean a problem with the liver or the bile ducts.
Criteria often allow more for people with Gilbert’s syndrome, a harmless inherited condition that raises bilirubin.
A blood test of average blood sugar over the past two to three months, given as a percentage or in mmol/mol. 6.5% (48 mmol/mol) or more is the usual threshold for diabetes, normally confirmed by a second test.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
ALT and AST (liver enzymes)
Two enzymes measured in a routine blood test of the liver. Higher levels can mean the liver is under strain or damaged. SGPT and SGOT are older names for ALT and AST.
Criteria usually give a limit as a multiple of the upper limit of normal (ULN), often higher when cancer has spread to the liver.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
ULN (upper limit of normal)
The top of the normal range for a blood test, as set by the laboratory that runs it. Each lab prints its own range next to your result.
“≤ 2.5 × ULN” means the result can be up to two and a half times that top value.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Bilirubin
A yellow substance made when red blood cells are broken down, which the liver clears. A high level can mean a problem with the liver or the bile ducts.
Criteria often allow more for people with Gilbert’s syndrome, a harmless inherited condition that raises bilirubin.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
HbA1c
A blood test of average blood sugar over the past two to three months, given as a percentage or in mmol/mol. 6.5% (48 mmol/mol) or more is the usual threshold for diabetes, normally confirmed by a second test.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Patients assigned to this arm will receive a 4th-generation, protein-enriched peripheral parenteral nutrition (PPN). The intervention will be administered for a total of 6 days, starting from preoperative day 1 (POD -1) to postoperative day 5 (POD 5), excluding the day of surgery (POD 0). The daily infusion volume is dynamically individualized; it is titrated based on the patient's target nutritional requirements and their actual daily oral intake.
Drug: Protein-enriched peripheral parenteral nutrition (Winuf A+ injection)
Patients assigned to this arm will receive a 3rd-generation, standard peripheral parenteral nutrition (PPN). The administration schedule is identical to the experimental arm (a total of 6 days, excluding POD 0). Similarly, the daily infusion volume is individualized and titrated according to the patient's actual oral caloric intake.
Drug: Standard peripheral parenteral nutrition (Winuf injection)
A novel, high-amino acid peripheral parenteral nutrition formulation (Winuf A+ injection; JW Pharmaceutical) designed to provide optimal protein delivery with lower glucose load. Administered intravenously.
A conventional, standard 3-chamber peripheral parenteral nutrition formulation (Winuf injection; JW Pharmaceutical). Administered intravenously.
Nitrogen Balance
Change in nitrogen balance, assessed by measuring 24-hour urinary urea nitrogen excretion and calculating total daily protein intake (from both oral diet and parenteral nutrition)
Time frame: Postoperative Day 5 (POD 5)
Skeletal Muscle Index (Sarcopenia Assessment)
Quantitative changes in skeletal muscle mass evaluated using the Skeletal Muscle Index (SMI). SMI is a continuous physiological measurement derived from cross-sectional imaging (such as abdominal computed tomography) and/or bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Because it is a continuous physiological variable, there are no predefined minimum or maximum values on a scale. Higher SMI values indicate greater skeletal muscle mass, representing a better clinical outcome (prevention of muscle depletion).
Time frame: Baseline (preoperative), and 6 months postoperativel
Nutritional Status Assessed by GLIM Criteria
Change in nutritional status evaluated using the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria. Participants will be categorized into normal nutritional status, moderate malnutrition, or severe malnutrition. This is a categorical assessment, not a numerical scale with minimum or maximum values. The "normal nutritional status" category represents the best clinical outcome, while "severe malnutrition" represents the worst.
Time frame: Baseline, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months postoperatively
Complications
Rate of postoperative complications classified as Clavien-Dindo grade 2 or higher, specifically monitoring for delayed gastric emptying (DGE) and infectious complications (surgical site infection, pneumonia). The Clavien-Dindo classification is an ordinal scale used to grade surgical complications. The scale ranges from Grade I (minimum value, mild complication) to Grade V (maximum value, death of a patient). A higher grade indicates a more severe complication, representing a worse clinical outcome.
Time frame: Up to 30 days postoperatively
Glycemic Control
Frequency of hyperglycemic events, defined as plasma glucose levels of 180 mg/dL or higher, during the parenteral nutrition administration period.
Time frame: Postoperative Day 1 to Day 5
Functional Recovery
Recovery of Oral Intake, Length of Hospital Stay
Time frame: Up to hospital discharge (expected average up to 7-10 days)
Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI)
Change in the Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI), calculated based on serum albumin concentration and total peripheral lymphocyte count. Because it is a continuous physiological calculated index, there are no predefined minimum or maximum values on a scale. Higher PNI values indicate better nutritional and immunological status, representing a better clinical outcome.
Time frame: Baseline, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months postoperatively
C-Reactive Protein to Albumin Ratio (CAR)
Change in the C-Reactive Protein to Albumin Ratio (CAR), calculated by dividing the serum C-reactive protein (CRP) level by the serum albumin level. This is a continuous physiological ratio, thus there are no predefined minimum or maximum values. Lower CAR values indicate lower systemic inflammation and better nutritional status, representing a better clinical outcome.
Time frame: Baseline, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months postoperatively
Modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS)
Change in the modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS), an inflammation-based prognostic score based on serum CRP and albumin thresholds. The mGPS is an ordinal scale with predefined values of 0, 1, or 2 (minimum value: 0, maximum value: 2). A lower score indicates a lower level of systemic inflammation, representing a better clinical outcome (0 is the best outcome, 2 is the worst outcome).
Time frame: Baseline, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months postoperatively
Plan to share: Yes — De-identified individual participant data that underlie the results reported in this article will be shared upon reasonable request to the corresponding author.
Time frame: Beginning 6 months and ending 36 months following article publication.
Access criteria: Data will be shared with researchers who provide a methodologically sound proposal, subject to approval by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) and a formal data use agreement.
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Soonchunhyang University Hospital