A low-carb, high-fat ketogenic diet has increased the effectiveness of the new cancer drug. This unexpected discovery is essential for the clinical research of a new generation of anti-cancer drugs. Stay with us and find out what is the treatment for brain cancer.
The growing popularity of the ketogenic diet is forcing an increasing number of people to rate it as a critical component of treatment. The menu is low in carbohydrates and high-fat content, which is considered beneficial for the body in some diseases.
How does ? Ketogenic diet treat our bodies?
The therapeutic effects of a keto diet on many neurological diseases including autism, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, and the use of the best exogenous ketones are currently being studied. American scientists have also tried keto-nutrition in oncology and achieved unexpected results.
Clinical trials are underway for a promising cancer drug that blocks the PI3K enzyme, which is designed to stop the growth of tumors. However, the first results were disappointing. Turning off PI3K, the drug increased insulin levels, the task of which is to counteract the blocking of the enzyme. Having tested many methods for modulating insulin levels, scientists also tested the interaction of a ketogenic diet and brain cancer. And they were not mistaken.
It turned out that the ketogenic diet has proven to be the best way to increase the effectiveness of this anti-cancer drug and the best diet for treating brain cancer.
Ketone bodies as a brain cancer cure
There was a story about Pablo Kelly, a young Englishman who, in September 2014, was diagnosed with one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer. Glioblastoma multiforme is the most common primary brain tumor, and today it is practically not treatable. Tumor removal, radiation, and chemotherapy can lead to an increase in life expectancy after diagnosis up to 12-15 months, but no more. Life expectancy, if untreated, is three months after diagnosis.
Doctors considered Pablo's tumor inoperable and offered him only a course of chemotherapy. It could slightly increase the duration of his life, but significantly worsen his well-being in the remaining months of his life. Pablo refused chemotherapy and instead chose a metabolic approach to treatment. It consisted of a strict keto diet with almost zero carbohydrate intake, calorie restriction, intermittent fasting, and special dietary supplements. In other words, his method was to starve the cells of the malignant tumor, depriving them of glucose. Now, in 2020, the six-year survival of Pablo without traditional treatment seemed splendid, because it significantly exceeded all realistic forecasts. Nevertheless, regular scans showed that the tumor is under control and does not increase in size. Pablo can live a full life.
Metabolic method of brain cancer treatment
But the case of Pablo is a special one. Using exclusive metabolic methods of alternative brain cancer treatment, he could stop the tumor growth long before the surgery. And six months after the surgery, Pablo received the best of all possible news from his attending physician. "I went through two scans after the operation," he says. "And when I met my oncologist, she informed me that there were no visible signs of the tumor, although a cavern remains in its place."
Does it mean a complete cure? It is impossible to say it now. Glioblastoma cells are known for their vitality and ability to reproduce rapidly. So he plans to continue to follow a stringent keto diet and take a course of nutritional supplements that provide him with necessary microelements and vitamins. Besides, he still experiences bouts of uncontrolled muscle cramps - possibly complications from the surgery. But what he already managed to achieve is a real medical miracle, and Pablo is optimistic about life.
Of course, this story cannot be interpreted as evidence that the keto diet is a panacea for cancer patients. It is also worth noting that any of the official medical organizations do not yet support this method. Nevertheless, the metabolic approach to brain cancer treatment is now an auspicious scientific direction, and several scientific studies are being conducted on this topic. Keto diet burns fat for fuel: a revolutionary diet to combat cancer, boost brainpower, and increase your energy.
The future potential of the keto diet as an adjuvant cancer therapy
Cancer treatment today finds many practical approaches. Recently, in the United States, they created a drug that interacts with protein and prevents the spread of cancer cells for four types of cancer - the prostate and mammary glands, colon, and lungs.
Scientists also argue that a keto diet can be harmful to oncology without any additional treatment. The team tested a diet on mice with various types of cancer without the use of other drugs as a result of which the tumor growth either did not change or even accelerated.
The results are highly appreciated by scientists who are involved in clinical trials of drugs aimed at working with the PI3K enzyme. Confirmation of the effectiveness of anti-PI3K therapy in combination with the keto diet is expected to be approved shortly.
Conclusion
It is a case study and does not contain universal recommendations. We urge our readers not to take this publication as a call to abandon traditional cancer treatments. Most scientists involved in this subject consider the metabolic approach to be a useful complement to known treatment methods, rather than replacing them.
If you have any experience in connection with ketogenic diet and brain cancer treatment, do not hesitate to share in the comments below. Every opinion can be beneficial.
Author's bio: Adam Reeve is a medical researcher and content writer for medical magazines. He has been studying the traditional and homeopathy medical treatment for seven years. In his free time, Adam studies organic food and its effects on different diseases' treatment.
