You know what they say—feed a cold, starve cancer. Or that’s what they will say, if new research in mice pans out in humans.
Combining chemotherapy with periods of fasting (not eating for 48 to 60 hours before treatment) was more effective in treating cancer in mice than chemo alone, according to new findings in the journal Science Translational Medicine.
For instance, mice with neuroblastoma—an aggressive nerve cancer that strikes infants and children—all died when treated with only chemo. But a few rounds of medication combined with fasting cured cancer in 20 percent of mice with widespread cancer and 40 percent of those with more limited cases.
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The combo also appeared to be effective against breast, ovarian, melanoma, and some brain cancers in mice. “For several cancers, including breast cancer in a mouse model, cycles of fasting were as effective as chemotherapy,” says study author Valter D. Longo, Ph.D., of the University of Southern California.
Singling Out Cancer Cells
Hair loss, fatigue, digestive problems—the side effects of chemo are harsh because the toxic drugs harm healthy cells in addition to killing cancer cells. But previous research by Longo—on both mice and humans—shows fasting protects against these as well. In fact, 10 human patients who fasted for 62 hours before and 24 hours after chemo reported fewer of these side effects, according to a 2009 study in the journal Aging.
Piles of research money have been spent on the search for sophisticated new medications to target cancer cells. So how could something as simple as fasting strengthen healthy cells while making malignant ones more vulnerable?
The answer may lie in changes to cancer cells that enable them to spread, Longo says. When normal cells stop getting nutrients, they enter a protective mode that helps them survive. (You can help yourself survive by mastering these Do-It-Yourself Medical Tests.)
But because cancer cells have mutated to grow more rapidly in normal conditions, fasting produces the opposite effect, killing them off. With each genetic change that enables it to grow and metastasize, “the tumor has to give up something, and we think that something is the ability to deal with extreme environments,” Longo says.
Hope for Humans
Though these new findings are in mice, Longo is optimistic that they’ll translate to humans, since many of the cancers were human. What’s more, initial results from continuing to follow the 10 patients in the previous trial are promising, he says.
Three clinical trials are now starting up to test the fasting-chemo combo in humans. Some oncologists may want to wait for the results, which aren’t expected until 2013 at the earliest, before recommending fasting to their patients.
However, patients whose treatments aren’t working can ask their doctor about trying it now, Longo says. It’s worth considering if you have few or no other treatment options, or if your doctor says chemo is risky for you. (Seeking other medical advice? Don't be afraid to ask your doc about other things bothering you.)
Just don’t do it without his or her OK—it’s not right for some people, including those have already lost a lot of weight or have another disease, such as diabetes. And you’ll need help managing the side effects, which include weight loss and a drop in blood pressure.
Another way to make chemo work better: Avoid fish oil. A study last year found it may block the effectiveness of certain chemo drugs.
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