Feasibility study of ready-to-eat meals in patients with early-stage gastric cancer after endoscopic submucosal dissection

Purpose: The Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has recently established new standards for Special Medical Purpose Foods for Cancer Patients.However, evidence regarding the feasibility of ready-to-eat (RTE) meal interventions in gastric cancer patients is limited.This study evaluated the feasibility of study procedures for an upcoming main randomized RTE meal intervention trial, focusing on recruitment, retention, adherence, acceptability, and safety.Methods: Five gastric cancer patients, aged 61 to 76 years, who had undergone endoscopic submucosal dissection, were enrolled in a two-week feasibility study.The patients were randomized into either an RTE meal group (n = 3) or a control group (n = 2).The RTE meal group received a one-meal-per-day RTE package provided by Ourhome Co., while the control group was advised to continue their usual diet.The anthropometrics, biomarkers, quality of life, sleep quality, insomnia, and dietary intake (using 24-hour dietary recall) were assessed at the baseline and after two weeks.Socio-demographic data, health lifestyle factors, and usual dietary intake (using a validated food frequency questionnaire) were measured at the baseline.Results: All five participants completed both baseline and post-intervention assessments (100% retention).Adherence to RTE meal consumption was as follows: one participant fully consumed all provided RTE meals on all 10 intervention days, while the other two participants reported complete consumption on 4/10 and 3/10 days, more-than-half consumption on 1/10 and 2/10 days, and less-than-half consumption on 5/10 days each.No discontinuation or adverse events were reported.Participants provided feedback suggesting potential improvements, including shorter survey items, fewer coordinating entities, and clearer dietary guidelines.Conclusion: This feasibility study enrolled five gastric cancer patients, all of whom completed the intervention, suggesting that integrating RTE meals into a clinical trial is feasible.This feasibility study process and participant feedback have important implications for the design of the main intervention study.