Keto Diet Benefits For Lung Cancer Patients

The ketogenic diet has been proposed as a potential therapy for cancer patients, but its long-term impact on survival rates is still being debated. The diet is high in fat, low in carbohydrates, and moderate to low in protein. It works on the principle that when the body doesn't have enough carbohydrates to burn, it switches to burning fat instead. This can weaken cancer cells, making them more vulnerable to treatment. Some studies have shown that the keto diet can improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy and radiation therapy, and it may also enhance immunotherapy by activating the human immune system to target cancer cells. However, the optimal approach to using this dietary therapy is still unclear, and more research is needed.

The keto diet may improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy and radiation therapy for lung cancer patients

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that has been used as a complementary treatment for cancer patients. While more research is needed, some studies suggest that the keto diet may improve the effectiveness of traditional cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

For example, a case report published in 2022 described a 54-year-old man with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and brain metastasis who was treated with a ketogenic diet after completing chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The patient's tumours in the brain and lung showed a reduction in size, and no tumour relapse or health issues occurred for two years after discontinuing the diet.

Another clinical trial at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center is combining the keto diet with photodynamic therapy (PDT) to target tumours obstructing the airway in lung cancer patients. The keto diet is believed to weaken tumour cells by depriving them of carbohydrates, making them more susceptible to destruction by PDT.

A preclinical study by biologists at the University of Texas at Dallas also provides support for the anti-cancer effects of the keto diet. They found that restricting blood glucose levels through the keto diet and a diabetes drug inhibited the growth of squamous cell carcinoma tumours in mice with lung cancer.

Furthermore, a 2020 study in Japan involving 37 patients with advanced cancer who followed a ketogenic diet for at least three months reported a median survival rate of 32.2 months and a three-year survival rate of 44.5%.

While these findings are promising, more research is needed to confirm the effectiveness of the keto diet in improving the outcomes of chemotherapy and radiation therapy for lung cancer patients. Well-designed, controlled clinical trials with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods are required to reach a definitive conclusion.

The keto diet may be used as a complementary therapy for lung cancer patients

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate, and adequate protein regimen that has been used as a second-line treatment for children with seizure syndrome. It reduces phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling by lowering fasting insulin levels in the brain. PI3K plays an important role in cancer growth, and several genomic alterations in PI3K signaling have been identified.

A 2019 preclinical study by biologists at the University of Texas at Dallas found that restricting circulating glucose in mice with lung cancer by feeding them a ketogenic diet and administering a diabetes drug prevented the reabsorption of glucose by the kidneys. The study concluded that while the interventions did not shrink the tumors, they did stop them from progressing, suggesting that this type of cancer might be vulnerable to glucose restriction.

A 2020 study in Japan involving 55 patients with advanced cancer found that a ketogenic diet could be an effective support therapy for patients with cancer. The study found no severe adverse events associated with the diet, and both fasting blood sugar and insulin levels were suppressed significantly for three months. The median survival was 32.2 months, and the three-year survival rate was 44.5%.

A 2022 case report on a 54-year-old man with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with brain metastasis found that a high-fat and low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet administered as a complementary and alternative therapy after chemotherapy and radiotherapy was associated with better clinical and survival outcomes. The size of the brain and lung lesions remained stable after nine years of ketogenic therapy.

A 2023 study in Japan followed up on the 2020 study and found that the median follow-up period for the 37 patients was 25 months, with a median overall survival of 25.1 months and a five-year survival rate of 23.9%. The study concluded that a longer continuation of the ketogenic diet improved the prognosis of advanced cancer patients.

The keto diet may help stabilise disease progression after chemotherapy and radiotherapy

A ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet. It has been used as a second-line treatment for children with seizure syndrome. It is thought that the keto diet may be an effective support therapy for cancer patients, particularly in stabilising disease progression after chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

A 2017 study by Keisuke Hagihara et al. found that a ketogenic diet may be a promising support therapy for patients with different types of advanced cancer. The study involved 55 patients, 37 of whom were administered a ketogenic diet for three months. The results showed no severe adverse events associated with the diet, and both fasting blood sugar and insulin levels were suppressed significantly for three months. Tumour size was also evaluated at three months, with some patients showing a partial response. The median survival was 32.2 months, and the three-year survival rate was 44.5%.

Another study, published in 2020 by Athanasios E Evangeliou et al., reported on the case of a 54-year-old man with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with brain metastasis. The patient was administered a ketogenic diet three months after the cessation of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The results showed a reduction in the size of the lesions and masses, and no tumour relapse or health issues occurred for two years after the discontinuation of the diet. This case report indicates that the inclusion of a ketogenic diet following radiation and chemotherapy may be associated with better clinical and survival outcomes for patients with metastatic NSCLC.

A preclinical study by Jung-Whan "Jay" Kim also suggests that the keto diet may have an anti-cancer effect. The study, conducted on mice with lung cancer, found that restricting circulating glucose through a ketogenic diet and a diabetes drug prevented the further growth of squamous cell carcinoma tumours. While the tumours did not shrink, they did not progress further, indicating that this type of cancer may be vulnerable to glucose restriction.

It is important to note that more comprehensive and detailed clinical studies are needed to fully understand the potential benefits of the keto diet for cancer patients. Additionally, it is worth noting that a ketogenic diet should only be undertaken under specific health circumstances and with medical supervision.

The keto diet may improve long-term survival rates for lung cancer patients

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate, and adequate protein regimen that has been used as a second-line treatment for children with seizure syndrome. The diet has been explored as a potential supportive therapy for cancer patients, with some studies indicating that it may improve long-term survival rates.

Case Studies and Clinical Trials

A case report published in 2022 detailed the experience of a 54-year-old man with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and brain metastasis. After completing chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the patient initiated a ketogenic diet as a complementary therapy. The patient's brain and lung lesions remained stable after nine years of ketogenic diet therapy, with no tumour relapse or health issues for two years after discontinuing the diet.

Another study, conducted by researchers at Osaka University, followed 55 patients with advanced cancer who were placed on a ketogenic diet. The diet consisted of restricting carbohydrates to 10g/day during the first week, 20g/day for the next three months, and 30g/day thereafter. The median survival rate for the 37 patients who adhered to the diet for at least three months was 32.2 months, with a three-year survival rate of 44.5%.

Additionally, a phase 2 clinical trial at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center is evaluating the combination of a ketogenic diet and photodynamic therapy (PDT) in treating tumours that obstruct the airway. The trial aims to determine if the keto diet can weaken tumour mitochondria by cutting off their carbohydrate supply, making them more susceptible to destruction by PDT.

Preclinical Research

Preclinical research by biologists at the University of Texas at Dallas also suggests that the keto diet may have an anti-cancer effect. Their study, published in the journal Cell Reports, involved restricting circulating glucose in mice with lung cancer by feeding them a ketogenic diet and administering a diabetes drug. The results indicated that while the keto diet alone did not shrink tumours, it inhibited their growth, suggesting that this type of cancer may be vulnerable to glucose restriction.

Long-Term Effects

A long-term follow-up of the Osaka University study was published in 2023, with data collected up to March 2022. The median follow-up period for the 37 patients was 25 months, with a median overall survival of 25.1 months and a five-year survival rate of 23.9%.

The researchers also compared the outcomes of patients who continued the ketogenic diet for more than 12 months with those who did not. The group that continued the diet for a longer period showed significantly better overall survival rates.

While more comprehensive and detailed clinical studies are needed, the available evidence suggests that the keto diet may improve long-term survival rates for lung cancer patients. The keto diet appears to have a tumour-growth inhibitory effect, particularly in squamous cell carcinoma, a type of lung cancer that is heavily dependent on glucose as its energy supply.

The keto diet may be a novel approach to enhancing lung cancer treatment

The ketogenic diet, a high-fat and low-carbohydrate diet, has been proposed as a potential supportive therapy for cancer patients. While the long-term influence of the keto diet on survival rates remains controversial, some studies have shown promising results.

Preclinical and Clinical Evidence

Preclinical studies in cancer model mice have shown that the keto diet can enhance the effects of radiation and chemotherapy. In one study, a 54-year-old man with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and brain metastasis was administered a keto diet as a complementary therapy after the cessation of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The keto diet was found to stabilize disease progression, and the size of the brain and lung lesions remained stable after nine years of keto diet therapy.

A study by biologists at the University of Texas at Dallas also suggested that restricting blood glucose levels through a keto diet might help keep certain cancers at bay. They found that the keto diet, combined with a diabetes drug, inhibited the growth of squamous cell carcinoma tumors in mice with lung cancer.

Clinical Trials

A phase 2 clinical trial at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center will evaluate the effectiveness of combining the keto diet with a specialized type of photodynamic therapy (PDT) to target tumors obstructing the airway in lung cancer patients. The keto diet is based on the principle that when the body doesn't have enough carbohydrates, it forces the mitochondria (the energy source of the cell) to switch over and burn fat instead. It is hoped that by cutting off the carbohydrate supply to tumor mitochondria, the keto diet will weaken them, and PDT will then be able to destroy them.

Another clinical trial at the University of Iowa found that consuming a keto diet while receiving radiation and chemotherapy for locally advanced lung cancer showed better clinical and survival outcomes for patients with metastatic NSCLC.

Long-Term Effects

A long-term follow-up study of 55 patients with advanced cancer who were treated with a keto diet at Osaka University Hospital found that a longer continuation of the keto diet improved prognosis. The median overall survival for 37 patients who remained on the keto diet for at least 3 months was 25.1 months, and the 5-year survival rate was 23.9%. When patients who followed the keto diet for ≥12 months were compared to those who followed it for <12 months, the group that continued the diet for longer showed significantly better overall survival rates.

While more research is needed, the keto diet may be a novel and promising approach to enhancing lung cancer treatment. Well-designed, prospective, controlled trials with sufficient power are required to confirm the effectiveness of the keto diet in cancer treatment.

Frequently asked questions