This paper was published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition Vol 14, Issue 2 202-208
Study title and authors:
Effects of a ketogenic diet on tumor metabolism and nutritional status in pediatric oncology patients: two case reports
L. C. Nebeling, F. Miraldi, S. B. Shurin and E. Lerner
Nutrition Department, Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
This study can be accessed at: http://www.jacn.org/cgi/content/abstract/14/2/202?ijkey=6ee63d73e36021de5c47971afed07b57dc85baaf&keytype2=tf_ipsecsha
Glucose is implicated in the growth of cancer. See here.
This study set out to determine if the high fat, ketogenic diet would decrease glucose availability to brain cancer tumors in 2 children, thereby potentially stopping the growth of the cancer. And without adversely affecting the children's overall nutritional status. The children were monitored for an 8 week period.
The study found:
(a) Within 7 days of initiating the ketogenic diet, blood glucose levels declined to low-normal levels.
(b) There was a 21.8% average decrease in glucose uptake at the tumor site in both subjects.
(c) One patient had significant clinical improvements in her mood and new skill development during the study. She continued the ketogenic diet for an additional twelve months, remaining free of disease progression.
Nebeling concludes that the ketogenic diet may be useful in the treatment of cancer.
