Study on the effect of fasting during radiation and chemotherapy

Fernando Safdie et al.

September 2012

Cancer rehabilitation

Other fasting

The University of Southern California, USC Keck School of Medicine and the University of Duisburg-Essen were able to prove in a study that fasting improves the effectiveness of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Glioma cells from mice (GL26), rats (C6) and humans (U251, LN229 and A172) were treated in vitro with temozolomide and starved for 48 hours before radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Of interest to the researchers was the effect of fasting on tumor progression and cell survival.

The data showed that the gliomas of mice, rats and humans were equally sensitized to the treatment by fasting. The researchers suspected that this was due to the significant reduction in blood glucose levels and growth factor 1 (IGF 1) caused by the 48-hour fast. As the sensitivity achieved also led to an increased survival rate of the cells , fasting could contribute to the effectiveness of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

The most important information on the study at a glance

Indications: Cancer
Institution: Longevity Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
Title: Study on the effect of fasting during radiotherapy or chemotherapy
Brief description: The study shows that fasting can contribute to the effectiveness of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
Original title: Fasting Enhances the Response of Glioma to Chemo- and Radiotherapy
Link to the study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3439413/