The DEAL trial: A diet and exercise intervention in (pre)-diabetics during treatment for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.

Abstract

473 Background: Patients with diabetes are at greater risk for bladder cancer (BC) as well as disease recurrence and progression. Even after controlling for clinical and pathologic risk factors, DM confers a 2x greater risk of recurrence and 9x greater risk of progression. We hypothesize that utilizing a carbohydrate restricted (CR) diet ( < 130 grams/day) to decrease the bioavailability of glucose in patients with DM and BC, a “Warburg-like” tumor, has potential therapeutic benefit. We designed a study to assess the feasibility of a CR diet in patients with (pre)diabetes and non-muscle invasive bladder cancer receiving BCG therapy. Methods: This is a pilot study of 5 (pre)diabetic patients (defined as HgbA1c > 5.7) with NMIBC receiving BCG and maintenance. A CR diet ( < 130 g/day) was supplied for the first 12 weeks through a meal delivery service. Patients received weekly coaching with a nutritionist for 6 weeks during induction BCG and at the 3 month surveillance cystoscopy with dietary and activity goals implemented. Patients had laboratory evaluation at baseline and at 3 month intervals. Patients tracked their diet. Two (1 weekday, 1 weekend day) unannounced 24 hour diet recalls were obtained to monitor compliance. Dietary compliance was defined as < 130 grams/day of carbohydrate intake. Results: Between 09/2016 and 05/2017, 5 patients were enrolled. Mean age was 66.2 years (Range 59-74). Three patients had diabetes and two patients had pre-diabetes. Two patients had CIS, 1 patient had high-grade Ta, and 2 patients had high-grade T1 disease. Mean baseline hemoglobin A1c was 7.6% (Range 5.9-11.8). Mean bodyweight and BMI were 92 kg (Range 66-105) and 28.2 (Range 23.1- 31.3) respectively. Regarding compliance, 4/5 (80%) patients completed dietary logs and weekly labs. Three patients (60%) achieved their goal of < 130 grams carbohydrates/day on 24-hour dietary recall. Average 3-month HbA1c improved from 7.6% to 6.6% (Range 5.6-7.9). Conclusions: Eighty percent of patients completed dietary logs for the first three months of the trial; 60% achieved compliance with the CR diet. These data demonstrate the feasibility of a dietary intervention utilizing CR in patients with high-grade NMIBC undergoing BCG. Clinical trial information: NCT02716623.