Miraculin for Taste Dysfunction in Head and Neck Cancer Patients

This study is looking at whether a dietary supplement called Miraculin can help head and neck cancer patients who experience taste changes during radiation therapy. Many patients receiving radiation for head and neck cancer develop problems with their sense of taste, which can make it hard to eat. This study will give some patients Miraculin (a 'miracle fruit' cube) and others a placebo (an inactive cube that looks the same) three times a day before meals. Researchers will compare how these groups' taste changes over time, hoping to see if Miraculin can reduce the impact of taste changes on what patients eat. The study plans to enroll 40 participants aged 18 and older who have been diagnosed with head and neck cancer. The current status of the study is unclear.

Study design
This is a Phase III, double-blinded (meaning neither you nor your doctor will know if you're getting Miraculin or the placebo), placebo-controlled study that will randomly assign 40 participants to one of two groups.
What's involved
You would take a Miraculin or placebo cube three times a day before meals for up to 60 days, starting before your radiation treatment. Your taste will be assessed over time, up to 6 months.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Participants will be followed for 180 days after their treatment ends.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

NCT05273307

Addressing Taste Dysfunction With Miraculin in Head and Neck Cancer Patients Receiving Radiation Therapy

Active, Not Recruiting
PHASE3Ages 18+InterventionalTreatment
University of California, San Francisco
~40 participants
Updated 2026-08-11 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:MiraculinMiracle Fruit Placebo Cube

At a glance

Recruiting sites
0 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Change in Taste Assessment scores over time
Measured over Up to 6 months
Head and Neck Cancer
Taste Dysfunction
1 sites across 1 states
California1
  • Sue Yom, MD, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · University of California, San Francisco

This trial hasn't published a contact. View it on ClinicalTrials.gov

  • Change in Taste Assessment scores over timeUp to 6 months

    The Taste Assessment is a two-item questionnaire used to determine the overall experiences of the participant taste sensation in the past 7 days; with one item asking about taste alteration and another asking about the interference of taste alteration with dietary intake. Scores for each item are obtained by responses to a Likert scale ranging from 1= "not at all" to 5="a lot", with greater scores indicating a greater taste alteration or interference.