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FIURTT-Study (Kidney Tumours)

Clinical study on the effect of short-term fasting before kidney tumor surgery
Who can enter
  • Children and adolescents with a new diagnosis of a non-metastasized kidney tumor
  • Age: 0,5 to 18 years old

Goal

The goal of this study is to investigate whether a short-term fasting diet before kidney tumor surgery influences the quality of recovery after surgery. The fasting diet may also result in less damage in the remaining healthy kidney. Depending on the results of this study, we then want to implement this treatment strategy in daily care.


Background

Research has shown that animals live longer when they consume less calories than they normally would. This is partly due to better resistance (a protective state against oxidative stress) that the body builds up itself in that situation. Oxidative stress is a kind of damage that occurs during situations that could be harmful to the body, such as excess warmth, UV-light and smoking. Oxidative stress also occurs during surgery and could adversely affect the postoperative recovery.

A preoperative (fasting) diet was well tolerated by people who donated one of their kidneys and people undergoing gastric bypass surgery for obesity, as earlier research has shown. There was no increased risk for postoperative complications. Also, there was a positive effect on the postoperative (kidney function) recovery in the kidney donor and recipient. Now we want to investigate whether this beneficial effect is also present in children undergoing kidney tumor surgery.

Normally, a child also needs to abstain from intake before surgery. Adhering to a short-term fasting diet means that a child cannot eat for a slightly longer (a few hours) period before surgery. How many hours, depends on his/her age. We want to investigate whether a short-term fasting diet puts the body into a protective state. This protective state possibly ensures that a child can better withstand the physical stress (in other words: damage) associated with surgery. The fasting diet could therefore result in a quicker recovery after surgery and less damage in the remaining healthy kidney.

Also watch this interview for more explanation of this research.

In order to participate in a study please refer to your/your child’s doctor.


Last reviewed

February 1, 2022