Restricted calorie ketogenic diet for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme

Glioblastoma multiforme is the most common malignant primary brain tumor in adults and generally considered to be universally fatal. Glioblastoma multiforme accounts for 12% to 15% of all intracranial neoplasms and affects 2 to 3 adults per every 100,000 in the United States annually. In children glioblastoma multiforme accounts for only approximately 7% to 9% of central nervous system tumors. The mean survival rate in adults after diagnosis ranges from 12 to 18 months with standard therapy and 3 to 6 months without therapy. The prognosis in children is better compared to adult tumor onset with a mean survival of approximately 4 years following gross total surgical resection and chemotherapy. There have been few advances in the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme in the past 40 years beyond surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and corticosteroids. For this reason a restrictive calorie ketogenic diet, similar to that used in children to control drug resistant seizure activity, has been advanced as an alternative adjunctive treatment to help prolonged survival. This article reviews the science of tumor metabolism and discusses the mechanism of calorie restriction, cellular energy metabolism, and how dietary induced ketosis can inhibit cancer cell's energy supply to slow tumor growth.