Probiotic trial tests gut support during ovarian cancer chemotherapy

A randomized clinical trial at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center is testing whether an oral probiotic can help patients with advanced or recurrent ovarian cancer tolerate chemotherapy. The study will enroll 124 patients and compare a probiotic supplement with an inactive placebo to determine whether gut-focused support can reduce treatment side effects, improve quality of life and influence how tumors respond to therapy. Because the trial is still underway and has not yet reported outcomes, it cannot establish whether probiotics benefit patients or belong in routine cancer care.

Patients in the probiotic group will take the supplement twice daily during the first seven days of chemotherapy and for seven days after each chemotherapy cycle. Researchers will collect biological samples to measure changes in the gut and vaginal microbiomes, immune function and reported symptoms. The randomized, placebo-controlled design is intended to separate effects associated with the probiotic from those of chemotherapy itself, although the release does not describe the trial’s masking procedures, primary endpoints, analysis plan or expected completion date. Researchers will also investigate associations between microbiome changes, treatment response and patient-reported outcomes, including fatigue and gastrointestinal symptoms.

The scientific rationale centers on the microbiome, the community of bacteria and other organisms living in the digestive tract. As described by Laura Chambers, DO, the clinical trial’s lead investigator and a gynecologic oncologist at the cancer center, cancer treatments can disrupt this microbial community and potentially contribute to side effects that affect how patients feel during therapy. The microbiome has roles in digesting nutrients, processing hormones, inflammation and immune function, but those general functions do not demonstrate that a particular commercial probiotic will improve chemotherapy tolerance. The trial therefore includes direct biological measurements and symptom assessments rather than relying only on changes in microbiome composition.

Probiotics and prebiotics are related but distinct interventions. Probiotics contain live microorganisms, while prebiotics are types of fiber that provide food for beneficial microbes. The Ohio State study specifically examines probiotic supplements, and the release does not report that participants will receive prebiotics. The supplements used in the trial are supplied at no cost by Pendulum Probiotics; Chambers reports no financial conflict with the manufacturer. Funding and research support come from the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance Early Career Investigator Grant, the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, the John Templeton Foundation and the Paul Calabresi Career Development Award for Clinical Oncology. The registered study is identified as NCT07144826. Patients interested in the trial can consult its ClinicalTrials.gov listing or contact the cancer center, and the investigators advise people receiving cancer treatment to speak with their care team before starting probiotics, prebiotics or other supplements.

Subject of Research: A randomized trial of probiotic supplementation during chemotherapy for advanced or recurrent ovarian cancer

Article Title: Can better gut health help patients with ovarian cancer tolerate chemotherapy?

Article References: Can better gut health help patients with ovarian cancer tolerate chemotherapy?. Original publication (Bibliographic details unavailable.)

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: Not provided

Keywords: ovarian cancer, probiotics, gut microbiome, chemotherapy, clinical trials, placebo, treatment side effects, quality of life, immune function, cancer research, better, health