Key result
Fasting shows potential to mitigate chemotherapy toxicity and increase efficacy in nonclinical models, though clinical implementation requires large randomized trials to confirm safety and efficacy.
Why the study?
To provide an overview of the potential exploitation of fasting as an anticancer strategy based on its ability to empower normal cell survival while killing cancer cells.
Does fasting mitigate toxicity and improve the efficacy of chemotherapy in cancer patients?
Does fasting mitigate toxicity and improve the efficacy of chemotherapy in cancer patients?
Fasting shows potential as an adjuvant to chemotherapy to mitigate toxicity and enhance efficacy, though large randomized clinical trials are needed to consolidate safety and efficacy.
Fasting's differential stress response in cancer remains hypothesis-generating; leaves open clinical use pending randomized trials.
(1) Background: the present review provides a comprehensive and up-to date overview of the potential exploitation of fasting as an anticancer strategy. The rationale for this concept is that fasting elicits a differential stress response in the setting of unfavorable conditions, empowering the survival of normal cells, while killing cancer cells. (2) Methods: the present narrative review presents the basic aspects of the hormonal, molecular, and cellular response to fasting, focusing on the interrelationship of fasting with oxidative stress. It also presents nonclinical and clinical evidence concerning the implementation of fasting as adjuvant to chemotherapy, highlighting current challenges and future perspectives. (3) Results: there is ample nonclinical evidence indicating that fasting can mitigate the toxicity of chemotherapy and/or increase the efficacy of chemotherapy. The relevant clinical research is encouraging, albeit still in its infancy. The path forward for implementing fasting in oncology is a personalized approach, entailing counteraction of current challenges, including: (i) patient selection; (ii) fasting patterns; (iii) timeline of fasting and refeeding; (iv) validation of biomarkers for assessment of fasting; and (v) establishment of protocols for patients' monitoring. (4) Conclusion: prescribing fasting as anticancer medicine may not be far away if large randomized clinical trials consolidate its safety and efficacy.
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Deligiorgi et al. (2020) conducted a review in Cancer. Fasting was evaluated. Fasting shows potential to mitigate chemotherapy toxicity and increase efficacy in nonclinical models, though clinical implementation requires large randomized trials to confirm safety and efficacy.
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