Trial reportBMC cancer2021
Beta-hydroxy beta-methylbutyrate/arginine/glutamine (HMB/Arg/Gln) supplementation to improve the management of cachexia in patients with advanced lung cancer: an open-label, multicentre, randomised, controlled phase II trial (NOURISH).
Trial report in BMC cancer, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
15 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 97 citations in OpenAlex.
- How quality of life is measured in studies of nutritional intervention: a systematic review.Health and quality of life outcomes · 2024Pooled it
- Trial
- Herbal Products and Dietary Supplements in Radiation Oncology: Evidence, Safety, and Practical Patient Counseling.Seminars in radiation oncology · 2026Review
- 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyrate (3H3MB) suppresses glioma growth and extends survival in mice.Frontiers in molecular neuroscience · 2026Article
- Article
- Cathepsins: Emerging targets in the tumor ecosystem to overcome cancers.Seminars in cancer biology · 2025Review
- Body composition alterations in patients with lung cancer.American journal of physiology. Cell physiology · 2025Review
- Immunotherapy of small cell lung cancer based on prognostic nutritional index.Frontiers in immunology · 2025Review
- Glutamine Supplementation as an Anticancer Strategy: A Potential Therapeutic Alternative to the Convention.Cancers · 2024Review
- Cancer-associated cachexia - understanding the tumour macroenvironment and microenvironment to improve management.Nature reviews. Clinical oncology · 2023Review
- Effect of combined therapies including nutrition and physical exercise in advanced cancer patients: A pooled analysis.Frontiers in nutrition · 2023Article
- Current Insights in Nutrition Assessment and Intervention for Malnutrition or Muscle Loss in People with Lung Cancer: A Narrative Review.Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.) · 2022Review
- Dietary Supplements in People with Metastatic Cancer Who Are Experiencing Malnutrition, Cachexia, Sarcopenia, and Frailty: A Scoping Review.Nutrients · 2022Article
- Therapeutic Potential of Glutamine Pathway in Lung Cancer.Frontiers in oncology · 2021Review
- Effect of Megestrol Acetate Combined With Oral Nutrition Supplement in Malnourished Lung Cancer Patients: A Single-Center Prospective Cohort Study.Frontiers in nutrition · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundCancer cachexia causes significant morbidity and mortality in advanced lung cancer patients. Clinical benefit of β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate, arginine, and glutamine (HMB/Arg/Gln) was assessed in newly diagnosed patients.
methodsNOURISH, a prospective, two-arm, open-label, multi-centre, randomised controlled phase II trial compared cachexia in patients who received HMB/Arg/Gln with those who did not. All patients received structured nutritional, exercise and symptom control via a Macmillan Durham Cachexia Pack. Conducted in five UK centres, patients aged > 18 years, with newly diagnosed advanced small cell lung cancer (SCLC) or non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), who were able to take oral nutrition, with a performance status of 0-to-2 and a life expectancy > 4 months were eligible for trial entry. Patients suitable for treatment with curative intent were ineligible. The trial was designed as a signal-seeking pilot study with target recruitment of 96 patients. One-to-one randomisation was stratified by diagnosis (SCLC or NSCLC), stage of disease (locally advanced or metastatic) and performance status. The primary outcome measure was treatment success defined as a patient being alive without significant loss of lean body mass (not > 5%) by 12 weeks. Secondary outcome measures included quality of life.
resultsBetween February-2012 and February-2013, 38 patients were recruited, 19 to each arm. Baseline characteristics were balanced. The trial was halted due to slow accrual and partial adherence. Trial data demonstrated no evidence of treatment benefit. No serious adverse events were reported during the trial.
conclusionsFurther evaluation of HMB/Arg/Gln in this setting could not be recommended on the basis of this trial. CLINICAL
trial registrationISRCTN registry: 39911673; 14-Apr-2011 https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN39911673 .
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.