Ketogenic Diet as an Adjunctive Therapy on the Treatment of Oral Tumor (P05-020-19)

Abstract

Objectives: This case is here to demonstrate the effectiveness of the Ketogenic Diet (KD) as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of oral fibrosarcoma tumor. Methods: Brad, a five-year-old male mix-breed-dog was submitted on a ketogenic diet after mandibulectomy of the oral tumor. KD a high-fat/low-carbohydrate/adequate-protein diet has recently been proposed as adjuvant therapy in cancer treatment. KDs target the Warburg effect, a biochemical phenomenon in which cancer cells predominantly utilize glycolysis instead of oxidative phosphorylation to produce ATP; therefore, some cancers cannot metabolize ketone bodies, due to mitochondrial dysfunction and down-regulation of enzymes necessary for ketone utilization. Furthermore, by reducing blood glucose, insulin and insulin-like growth factor, the drivers of cancer cell proliferation, are also reduced in the bloodstream. Results: This cancer, whose origin is a mesenchymal cell and consists of a malignant tumor of fibroblasts has a reported survival times after surgical excision ranging from 7.0 to 12.2 months. After eighteen months of dietary therapy, the tumor-associated inflammation was completely reduced, and no more lesions were found during clinical exams. The dog in this study showed significant improvement and came back to his normal life and activities right at the beginning of the therapy. Today, he has a healthy happy and very active life. Conclusions: There are alternatives other than conventional medicine. The therapy plans must include diet either as an adjuvant or whenever possible as the main treatment. Nutrition plays an important role in the future of Medicine. Nontoxic metabolic therapy is effective, and those interested in cancer prevention should know about this. Although the study was managed in a dog, the ketogenic diet is effective in preventing and reducing cancer risks in humans. Integrative Medicine conducted with criteria and responsibility leads to health and vitality for patients.