FITco study

Recruiting

Who can enter

• Children with a new oncological diagnosis

• Age: 0-18 years old

Goal

The goal of this study is to learn about body composition, nutritional intake and exercise in children with cancer. With this new knowledge, we hope to be able to give better advice in the future about nutrition and exercise during and after treatment. In doing so, we may be able to improve quality of life and increase chances of cure.

Background

Many children with cancer struggle with eating and maintaining a stable weight during treatment. During treatment, it is important that children do not lose too much weight, but also do not gain too much weight. We know from previous research that children who are both underweight and overweight are more likely to experience side effects of treatment. This leads to a lower quality of life.

Not only body weight is important. We think that body composition (the distribution of fat and muscle) is even more important for coping well with treatment. In addition, diet, exercise and use of medication are also important. These affect body composition and the gut flora. The 'gut flora' is the collective name for the billions of ever-present bacteria and other small organisms that live in the gut. More and more research shows that the gut flora is important for the development of side effects from treatment.

All these factors potentially contribute to the chance of being cured, getting side effects from treatment (short- and long-term) and quality of life. In this research program, we want to measure body composition, dietary intake and exercise in a large group of children. We also want to investigate how these factors relate to the chance of being cured, side effects, quality of life, and how this works. With this knowledge, we want to give targeted advice or adjust the treatment in the future, and possibly improve the quality of life and increase the chance of being cured.

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

Last reviewed

March 20, 2026

The above information is intended as a brief summary only and may not reflect the most up-to-date information. For full details and the current status of a protocol, physicians can contact the Princess Máxima Center directly.