Colorado State University, Poudre Valley Hospital Embark On Cancer Clinical Trial

Colorado State University cancer researchers and Poudre Valley Cancer Network’s doctors are teaming up on a clinical trial investigating if eating beans or rice bran helps to control or prevent colorectal cancer. The program is enrolling colon cancer survivors to take part in the dietary study.

The research project, called BENEFIT, will specifically look at how beans or rice bran effect metabolism by microbes that live in the gut. More research is needed to understand the impact of these foods in humans.

“What we eat impacts the environment of our intestines – and if we can start to unlock the secrets of how our diets impact colon cancer risk, we’ve learned something very valuable. This study could lend important clues to cancer researchers about how diets impact colon cancer risk and rates,” said Elizabeth Ryan, a cancer researcher at CSU’s Animal Cancer Center.

BENEFIT stands for Bean/Bran Enriching Nutritional Eating For Intestinal Health Trial. Study participants will receive a BENEFIT lunch and snack for 28 days and must complete a dietary food log for each week of the study. A registered dietitian has designed all of the meals. Participants will need to visit the CSU Kendall Anderson Nutrition Center to give test samples throughout the study and meet with study coordinators.

There is no cost to participate in the study, and people who complete all of the requirements will receive one free session of nutritional counseling at the CSU Nutrition Center with a registered dietitian, a $50 value.

To qualify, participants must:
– Be a colorectal cancer survivor
– Be 18 years old or older
– Be a non-smoker
– Have no severe food allergies
– Not be following a vegetarian diet
– Be willing to eat the meals and snacks prescribed for four weeks
– Not be taking any medications that could cause inaccurate measurements, such as Bean-O or antibiotics
– Have no history of gallstones
– Not be pregnant or lactating and do not intend to become pregnant during the study

Participants also will be asked to provide a blood, urine, stool and saliva sample at three separate times during the study.

The study is randomized and placebo-controlled.

For more information about the study, contact Elizabeth Ryan at e.p.ryan@colostate.edu or 970-491-5301 or Erica Borresen at Erica.borresen@colostate.edu or 970-297-4144.

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