Potato starch may protect stem cell transplant patients from deadly immune attack
NCT ID NCT02763033
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tested whether a potato-based starch supplement could reduce the risk of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in 107 people receiving stem cell transplants. GVHD occurs when donor immune cells attack the patient's body. The supplement is designed to increase butyrate, a gut-friendly compound, to calm the immune system. Participants took the starch daily from before transplant until day 100, and researchers tracked how many developed moderate to severe GVHD.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- potato-based resistant starch (dietary supplement)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this simple dietary supplement could help prevent a serious complication of stem cell transplants, making the procedure safer for many patients.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-phase trial, so results may not be conclusive. The supplement might not reduce GVHD enough to change standard care, and some people may have digestive side effects.
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The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
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Locations
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University of Michigan Cancer Center
Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109, United States
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