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Wang X, Wang Z, Liu Z, Huang F, Pan Z, Zhang Z, Liu T. Nutritional strategies in oncology: The role of dietary patterns in modulating tumor progression and treatment response. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2025; 1880:189322. [PMID: 40228747 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2025.189322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2025] [Revised: 04/08/2025] [Accepted: 04/10/2025] [Indexed: 04/16/2025]
Abstract
Dietary interventions can influence tumor growth by restricting tumor-specific nutritional requirements, altering the nutrient availability in the tumor microenvironment, or enhancing the cytotoxicity of anticancer drugs. Metabolic reprogramming of tumor cells, as a significant hallmark of tumor progression, has a profound impact on immune regulation, severely hindering tumor eradication. Dietary interventions can modify tumor metabolic processes to some extent, thereby further improving the efficacy of tumor treatment. In this review, we emphasize the impact of dietary patterns on tumor progression. By exploring the metabolic differences of nutrients in normal cells versus cancer cells, we further clarify how dietary patterns influence cancer treatment. We also discuss the effects of dietary patterns on traditional treatments such as immunotherapy, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and the gut microbiome, thereby underscoring the importance of precision nutrition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueying Wang
- Department of Oncological Surgery, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150000, China
| | - Zeyao Wang
- Department of Oncological Surgery, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150000, China
| | - Zihan Liu
- Department of Oncological Surgery, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150000, China
| | - Fanxuan Huang
- Department of Oncological Surgery, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150000, China
| | - Zhaoyu Pan
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hunan, China
| | - Zhiren Zhang
- Departments of Cardiology and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, NHC Key Laboratory of Cell Transplantation, Key Laboratories of Education Ministry for Myocardial Ischemia Mechanism and Treatment, Harbin, China; Departments of Cardiology and Pharmacy and Breast Cancer surgery, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Institute of Metabolic Disease, Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Science, Heilongjiang Key Laboratory for Metabolic Disorder and Cancer Related Cardiovascular Diseases, Harbin, China.
| | - Tong Liu
- Department of Oncological Surgery, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150000, China; Departments of Cardiology and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, NHC Key Laboratory of Cell Transplantation, Key Laboratories of Education Ministry for Myocardial Ischemia Mechanism and Treatment, Harbin, China.
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Li Y, Lu Y, Lu W, Zhong N, Li N, Xu Z, Zhang J, Sun H, Wu F, Teng Z, Tang Y, Wang S. Transformable albumin-based nanocapsules selectively amplify tumor starvation and disulfidptosis through metabolic deception. J Control Release 2025; 383:113739. [PMID: 40258477 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2025.113739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2025] [Revised: 04/11/2025] [Accepted: 04/13/2025] [Indexed: 04/23/2025]
Abstract
Starvation-based therapy has emerged as a promising approach for cancer treatment. However, tumors can effectively circumvent nutrient deprivation by enhancing the uptake of alternative nutrients such as albumin to attenuate the efficacy of starvation-inducing drugs. In this study, we aimed to exploit the compensatory ability of tumors for alternative nutrients to improve the selectivity of starvation therapy. Albumin nanocapsules were coupled with glucose oxidase (GOX) and loaded with V9302 to obtain nutrient-mimicking transformable nanocapsules (HGV) that induced glucose and glutamine depletion. The HGV entered tumors efficiently owing to their transformability and induced starvation, which in turn upregulated the albumin uptake of the tumors to further increase the internalization of nanocapsules as a positive feedback loop. This amplified starvation led to a significant accumulation of intracellular disulfides and triggered disulfidptosis in the tumor cells, which not only effectively inhibited the growth of primary tumors but also stimulated antitumor immune responses. Furthermore, the tumor selectivity of HGV reduced the hepatotoxicity of GOX and V9302, making it a potential translational starvation-inducing nanocapsule.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yishi Lu
- Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wei Lu
- Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics and Information Displays and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biosensors, Institute of Advanced Materials, Jiangsu National Synergetic Innovation Centre for Advanced Materials, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing, China
| | - Nan Zhong
- Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Na Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ziqing Xu
- Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hanyao Sun
- Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Feiyun Wu
- Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhaogang Teng
- Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics and Information Displays and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biosensors, Institute of Advanced Materials, Jiangsu National Synergetic Innovation Centre for Advanced Materials, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing, China.
| | - Yuxia Tang
- Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Shouju Wang
- Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
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Qin Y, Chen L, Zhao Z, Li Y, Tian X, Feng M, Tang J, Ji K. Dietary nutrient intake and cancer presence: evidence from a cross-sectional study. Front Nutr 2025; 12:1551822. [PMID: 40236640 PMCID: PMC11996664 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1551822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2025] [Indexed: 04/17/2025] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND While the role of specific nutrients in cancer is established, associations between comprehensive between dietary nutrient intake and cancer presence remain underexplored. This cross-sectional study investigates global dietary nutrient profiles in relation to solid and blood cancers. METHODS A total of 42,732 mobile adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES, 2001-2023) were enrolled in this study. The potential associations of dietary intakes of 34 nutrients and 4 common trace components with cancer presence were investigated by weighted logistic regression and restricted cubic spline. RESULTS Higher intake of saturated fatty acid (OR = 1.1082, 95% CI: 1.0110-1.2146), β-carotene (OR = 1.0431, 1.0096-1.0777) and vitamin K (OR = 1.0370, 1.0094-1.0654) was positively associated with overall cancer presence, while phosphorus intake (OR = 0.9016, 0.8218-0.9892) showed a protective association. For solid tumors, dietary intakes of saturated fatty acid (OR = 1.1099), α-carotene (OR = 1.0353), β-carotene (OR = 1.0484), and vitamin K (OR = 1.0405) exhibited positive associations. Retinol intake was linked to blood carcinoma (OR = 1.0935, 1.0222-1.1698). Dose-response analyses revealed linear relationships without non-linear thresholds. CONCLUSION Specific dietary nutrients, notably saturated fats, carotenoids, and vitamin K, are associated with increased cancer presence, whereas phosphorus intake is associated with the reduced cancer presence. Due to the cross-sectional nature of the study and the measurement of dietary intake after cancer diagnosis, a causal relationship could not be established. These findings underscore the need for longitudinal studies to establish causality and inform dietary interventions in cancer management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youjia Qin
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Liu Chen
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Zilong Zhao
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yuguan Li
- Department of Lymphoma, Hubei Cancer Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xuan Tian
- College of Biomedicine and Health, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Mingqian Feng
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- College of Biomedicine and Health, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jing Tang
- Department of Lymphoma, Hubei Cancer Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Kangkang Ji
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Department of Clinical Medical Research, Binhai County People’s Hospital, Clinical Medical College of Yangzhou University, Yancheng, Jiangsu, China
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Fatima G, Mehdi AA, Fedacko J, Hadi N, Magomedova A, Mehdi A. Fasting as Cancer Treatment: Myth or Breakthrough in Oncology. Cureus 2025; 17:e81395. [PMID: 40296920 PMCID: PMC12035504 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.81395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/24/2025] [Indexed: 04/30/2025] Open
Abstract
The concept of fasting as a potential cancer treatment has garnered increasing interest, particularly in light of emerging evidence linking dietary interventions to cancer progression and therapy outcomes. This article explores whether fasting, either intermittent or prolonged, can be a viable standalone treatment for cancer or if its therapeutic potential lies in its adjunctive role. Current research suggests that fasting induces a metabolic shift, which may inhibit cancer cell proliferation by depriving them of essential nutrients. Additionally, fasting has been shown to enhance the body's stress resistance, promote autophagy, and possibly make cancer cells more vulnerable to standard treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy. However, the application of fasting as a sole treatment for cancer remains controversial and lacks substantial clinical validation. While animal models and in vitro studies indicate promising results, the translation to human trials is complex, with various types of cancer responding differently to dietary interventions. Moreover, concerns about malnutrition, loss of muscle mass, and the overall health of cancer patients undergoing fasting without supervision must be addressed. The paper critically examines the myth and reality surrounding fasting as a cancer treatment, reviewing key studies and clinical trials to provide a comprehensive understanding of its efficacy and safety. While fasting may hold promise as a supportive therapy, particularly in combination with traditional treatments, there is currently insufficient evidence to support its use as a primary treatment modality. Further research is needed to establish the parameters in which fasting might be beneficial, such as specific cancer types, patient populations, and optimal fasting regimens. Thus, while the idea of fasting as a cancer breakthrough is compelling, it remains a complementary approach rather than a standalone solution in oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghizal Fatima
- Department of Public Health, Era's Lucknow Medical College and Hospital, Era University, Lucknow, IND
| | - Abbas A Mehdi
- Department of Biochemistry, Era's Lucknow Medical College and Hospital, Era University, Lucknow, IND
| | - Jan Fedacko
- Department of Cardiology, Pavol Jozef Safarik University, Kosice, Kosice, SVK
| | - Najah Hadi
- Department of Medicine, University of Kufa, Najaf, IRQ
| | | | - Ammar Mehdi
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Career Post Graduate Institute of Dental Sciences and Hospital, Lucknow, IND
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Ligorio F, Vingiani A, Torelli T, Sposetti C, Drufuca L, Iannelli F, Zanenga L, Depretto C, Folli S, Scaperrotta G, Capri G, Bianchi GV, Ferraris C, Martelli G, Maugeri I, Provenzano L, Nichetti F, Agnelli L, Lobefaro R, Fucà G, Fotia G, Mariani L, Morelli D, Ladisa V, De Santis MC, Lozza L, Trecate G, Belfiore A, Brich S, Bertolotti A, Lorenzini D, Ficchì A, Martinetti A, Sottotetti E, Arata A, Corsetto P, Sorrentino L, Rediti M, Salvadori G, Minucci S, Foiani M, Apolone G, Pagani M, Pruneri G, de Braud F, Vernieri C. Early downmodulation of tumor glycolysis predicts response to fasting-mimicking diet in triple-negative breast cancer patients. Cell Metab 2025; 37:330-344.e7. [PMID: 39694040 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2024.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2024] [Revised: 09/04/2024] [Accepted: 11/08/2024] [Indexed: 12/20/2024]
Abstract
In preclinical experiments, cyclic fasting-mimicking diets (FMDs) showed broad anticancer effects in combination with chemotherapy. Among different tumor types, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is exquisitely sensitive to FMD. However, the antitumor activity and efficacy of cyclic FMD in TNBC patients remain unclear. Here, we show that a severely calorie-restricted, triweekly, 5-day FMD regimen results in excellent pathologic complete response (pCR) rates (primary endpoint) and long-term clinical outcomes (secondary endpoints) when combined with preoperative chemotherapy in 30 patients with early-stage TNBC enrolled in the phase 2 trial BREAKFAST. Bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing analysis revealed that highly glycolytic cancer cells, myeloid cells, and pericytes from tumors achieving pCR undergo a significant, early downmodulation of pathways related to glycolysis and pyruvate metabolism. Our findings pave the wave for conducting larger clinical trials to investigate the efficacy of cyclic FMD in early-stage TNBC patients and to validate early changes of intratumor glycolysis as a predictor of clinical benefit from nutrient restriction. This study was registered at Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04248998).
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Ligorio
- Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy; IFOM ETS, the AIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Via Adamello 16, 20139 Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Vingiani
- Oncology and Hematology-Oncology Department, University of Milan, Via Festa del Perdono 7, 20122 Milano, Italy; Department of Advanced Diagnostics, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Tommaso Torelli
- Department of Advanced Diagnostics, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Caterina Sposetti
- Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy; Oncology and Hematology-Oncology Department, University of Milan, Via Festa del Perdono 7, 20122 Milano, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Drufuca
- IFOM ETS, the AIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Via Adamello 16, 20139 Milan, Italy
| | - Fabio Iannelli
- Haematopathogy Division, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Via Ripamonti 435, 20141 Milan, Italy
| | - Lucrezia Zanenga
- Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Catherine Depretto
- Department of Radiology and Radiotherapy, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Secondo Folli
- Surgical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Gianfranco Scaperrotta
- Department of Radiology and Radiotherapy, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Capri
- Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Giulia V Bianchi
- Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Ferraris
- Surgical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Gabriele Martelli
- Surgical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Ilaria Maugeri
- Surgical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Leonardo Provenzano
- Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy; Oncology and Hematology-Oncology Department, University of Milan, Via Festa del Perdono 7, 20122 Milano, Italy
| | - Federico Nichetti
- Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Luca Agnelli
- Department of Advanced Diagnostics, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Riccardo Lobefaro
- Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Giovanni Fucà
- Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Fotia
- Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Luigi Mariani
- Unit of Clinical Epidemiology and Trial Organization, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Daniele Morelli
- Department of Advanced Diagnostics, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Vito Ladisa
- Hospital Pharmacy, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Carmen De Santis
- Department of Radiology and Radiotherapy, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Lozza
- Department of Radiology and Radiotherapy, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Giovanna Trecate
- Department of Radiology and Radiotherapy, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Antonino Belfiore
- Department of Advanced Diagnostics, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Silvia Brich
- Department of Advanced Diagnostics, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Alessia Bertolotti
- Department of Advanced Diagnostics, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Daniele Lorenzini
- Oncology and Hematology-Oncology Department, University of Milan, Via Festa del Perdono 7, 20122 Milano, Italy; Department of Advanced Diagnostics, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Angela Ficchì
- Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Antonia Martinetti
- Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Elisa Sottotetti
- Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Alessio Arata
- Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Paola Corsetto
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Via Festa del Perdono 7, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Luca Sorrentino
- Surgical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Mattia Rediti
- IFOM ETS, the AIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Via Adamello 16, 20139 Milan, Italy
| | - Giulia Salvadori
- IFOM ETS, the AIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Via Adamello 16, 20139 Milan, Italy
| | - Saverio Minucci
- Oncology and Hematology-Oncology Department, University of Milan, Via Festa del Perdono 7, 20122 Milano, Italy; Department of Experimental Oncology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Via Adamello 16, 20139 Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Foiani
- IFOM ETS, the AIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Via Adamello 16, 20139 Milan, Italy; Oncology and Hematology-Oncology Department, University of Milan, Via Festa del Perdono 7, 20122 Milano, Italy
| | - Giovanni Apolone
- Scientific Directorate, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Pagani
- IFOM ETS, the AIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Via Adamello 16, 20139 Milan, Italy; Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, Via Festa del Perdono 7, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Pruneri
- Oncology and Hematology-Oncology Department, University of Milan, Via Festa del Perdono 7, 20122 Milano, Italy; Department of Advanced Diagnostics, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Filippo de Braud
- Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy; Oncology and Hematology-Oncology Department, University of Milan, Via Festa del Perdono 7, 20122 Milano, Italy
| | - Claudio Vernieri
- Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy; IFOM ETS, the AIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Via Adamello 16, 20139 Milan, Italy.
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Caprara G, Pallavi R, Sanyal S, Pelicci PG. Dietary Restrictions and Cancer Prevention: State of the Art. Nutrients 2025; 17:503. [PMID: 39940361 PMCID: PMC11820753 DOI: 10.3390/nu17030503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2024] [Revised: 01/22/2025] [Accepted: 01/25/2025] [Indexed: 02/16/2025] Open
Abstract
Worldwide, almost 10 million cancer deaths occurred in 2022, a number that is expected to rise to 16.3 million by 2040. Primary prevention has long been acknowledged as a crucial approach to reducing cancer incidence. In fact, between 30 and 50 percent of all tumors are known to be preventable by eating a healthy diet, staying active, avoiding alcohol, smoking, and being overweight. Accordingly, many international organizations have created tumor prevention guidelines, which underlie the importance of following a diet that emphasizes eating plant-based foods while minimizing the consumption of red/processed meat, sugars, processed foods, and alcohol. However, further research is needed to define the relationship between the effect of specific diets or nutritional components on cancer prevention. Interestingly, reductions in food intake and dietetic restrictions can extend the lifespan of yeast, nematodes, flies, and rodents. Despite controversial results in humans, those approaches have the potential to ameliorate health via direct and indirect effects on specific signaling pathways involved in cancer onset. Here, we describe the latest knowledge on the cancer-preventive potential of dietary restrictions and the biochemical processes involved. Molecular, preclinical, and clinical studies evaluating the effects of different fasting strategies will also be reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greta Caprara
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO), Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), 20139 Milan, Italy
| | - Rani Pallavi
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO), Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), 20139 Milan, Italy
- Brien Holden Eye Research Centre, L. V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad 500034, India
- The Operation Eyesight Universal Institute for Eye Cancer, L. V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad 500034, India; (R.P.); (S.S.)
| | - Shalini Sanyal
- Brien Holden Eye Research Centre, L. V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad 500034, India
- The Operation Eyesight Universal Institute for Eye Cancer, L. V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad 500034, India; (R.P.); (S.S.)
| | - Pier Giuseppe Pelicci
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO), Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), 20139 Milan, Italy
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7
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Žuža Praštalo M, Pokimica B, Arsić A, Ilich JZ, Vučić V. Current Evidence on the Impact of Diet, Food, and Supplement Intake on Breast Cancer Health Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Endocrine Therapy. Nutrients 2025; 17:456. [PMID: 39940314 PMCID: PMC11820974 DOI: 10.3390/nu17030456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2024] [Revised: 01/16/2025] [Accepted: 01/24/2025] [Indexed: 02/16/2025] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES The most common type of breast cancer (BRC) in women is estrogen/progesterone receptor positive. First-line treatment includes endocrine therapy, either with aromatase inhibitors or tamoxifen to reduce estrogen levels. Among the side effects produced by this treatment, aromatase inhibitor-induced arthralgia is the most common, affecting the patients' overall health and quality of life (QoL). The objectives here were to evaluate interventions examining the impact of modified diets, supplements, and/or some food components on health outcomes in BRC patients undergoing endocrine therapy. METHODS The literature search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science from June 2024, as well as manually, through the end of November 2024. The search was limited to studies of women diagnosed with estrogen/progesterone-receptor-positive BRC with selected articles reporting interventions with diet, food, or supplement intake and examining the relevant health outcomes. Studies not focusing on BRC patients undergoing endocrine therapy or not including specific health outcomes were excluded. RESULTS The search uncovered 1028 studies; after the removal of duplicates, abstracts, and irrelevant studies, 53 were closely examined, with 26 evaluated and presented here. The outcomes were changes in bone and body composition, cardiovascular disease risks, inflammation, and QoL. CONCLUSIONS The examined evidence suggests that adherence to dietary patterns such as the Mediterranean or a low-fat diet, and a higher intake of fruits and vegetables were beneficial for various outcomes. Additionally, supplementation with some foods/components (dried plum, red clover) contributed to improving/maintaining bone and body composition, especially in overweight/obese patients. Supplementation with vitamin D or omega-3 improved lipid and angiogenic parameters and QoL. Although these results are promising, the effects of each supplement/food cannot be summarized due to the diverse nature of study designs, patients, and supplement dosages. Further studies are needed to explore the effects of specific nutritional interventions (including the newest, like fasting-mimicking diets and whole-grain cereal diets) on various health outcomes in BRC survivors during endocrine therapy, and to derive universal recommendations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milena Žuža Praštalo
- Group for Nutritional Biochemistry and Dietology, Institute for Medical Research, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (M.Ž.P.); (B.P.); (A.A.); (V.V.)
- Centre of Research Excellence in Nutrition and Metabolism, Institute for Medical Research, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Biljana Pokimica
- Group for Nutritional Biochemistry and Dietology, Institute for Medical Research, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (M.Ž.P.); (B.P.); (A.A.); (V.V.)
- Centre of Research Excellence in Nutrition and Metabolism, Institute for Medical Research, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Aleksandra Arsić
- Group for Nutritional Biochemistry and Dietology, Institute for Medical Research, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (M.Ž.P.); (B.P.); (A.A.); (V.V.)
- Centre of Research Excellence in Nutrition and Metabolism, Institute for Medical Research, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Jasminka Z. Ilich
- Institute for Successful Longevity, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
| | - Vesna Vučić
- Group for Nutritional Biochemistry and Dietology, Institute for Medical Research, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (M.Ž.P.); (B.P.); (A.A.); (V.V.)
- Centre of Research Excellence in Nutrition and Metabolism, Institute for Medical Research, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
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Brandhorst S, Longo VD. Fasting-mimicking diet potentiates anti-tumor effects of CDK4/6 inhibitors against breast cancer by suppressing NRAS- and IGF1-mediated mTORC1 signaling. Drug Resist Updat 2025; 78:101182. [PMID: 39665873 DOI: 10.1016/j.drup.2024.101182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2024] [Revised: 12/04/2024] [Accepted: 12/04/2024] [Indexed: 12/13/2024]
Abstract
Fasting-mimicking diet (FMD) cycles, defined as 3-5 day periods of a calorie-restricted, low-protein, low-carbohydrate, and high-fat diet, have emerged as a dietary approach to delay cancer initiation and progression in both autograft and xenograft mouse models and as a safe and feasible approach to decrease risk factors for cancer and other age-related pathologies in humans. A substantial number of pre-clinical studies focused on various tumor types have shown that fasting/FMDs can potentiate the efficacy of various standard-of-care cancer therapies but also modulate the immune system to promote a T cell-dependent attack of tumor cells. Importantly, combining drug treatment with fasting/FMDs can overcome acquired drug resistance which frequently emerges and reduces long-term treatment benefits. However, the mechanisms by which the FMD reverts resistance to CDK4/6i remain poorly understood. Here, Li and colleagues provide evidence that FMD cycles act as a wild card to reduce the activity of a signaling network that includes IGF-1, RAS, AKT, and mTOR-S6K to delay cancer progression and reverse the acquisition of drug resistance. These findings expand the mechanistic understanding of the FMD-mediated increase in drug efficacy and provide further evidence to support trials combining hormone therapy, CDK4/6 inhibitors, and FMD in breast cancer treatment. These new results on FMD cycles add an optimistic outlook to extend the efficacy of standard-of-care drugs that eventually become ineffective because of acquired resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Brandhorst
- Longevity Institute, Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, USA
| | - Valter D Longo
- Longevity Institute, Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, USA.
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Michenthaler H, Duszka K, Reinisch I, Galhuber M, Moyschewitz E, Stryeck S, Madl T, Prokesch A, Krstic J. Systemic and transcriptional response to intermittent fasting and fasting-mimicking diet in mice. BMC Biol 2024; 22:268. [PMID: 39567986 PMCID: PMC11580389 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-024-02061-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 11/04/2024] [Indexed: 11/22/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dietary restriction (DR) has multiple beneficial effects on health and longevity and can also improve the efficacy of certain therapies. Diets used to instigate DR are diverse and the corresponding response is not uniformly measured. We compared the systemic and liver-specific transcriptional response to intermittent fasting (IF) and commercially available fasting-mimicking diet (FMD) after short- and long-term use in C57BL/6 J mice. RESULTS We show that neither DR regimen causes observable adverse effects in mice. The weight loss was limited to 20% and was quickly compensated during refeeding days. The slightly higher weight loss upon FMD versus IF correlated with stronger fasting response assessed by lower glucose levels and higher ketone body, free fatty acids and especially FGF21 concentrations in blood. RNA sequencing demonstrated similar transcriptional programs in the liver after both regimens, with PPARα signalling as top enriched pathway, while on individual gene level FMD more potently increased gluconeogenesis-related, and PPARα and p53 target gene expression compared to IF. Repeated IF induced similar transcriptional responses as acute IF. However, repeated cycles of FMD resulted in blunted expression of genes involved in ketogenesis and fatty acid oxidation. CONCLUSIONS Short-term FMD causes more pronounced changes in blood parameters and slightly higher weight loss than IF, while both activate similar pathways (particularly PPARα signalling) in the liver. On individual gene level FMD induces a stronger transcriptional response, whereas cyclic application blunts transcriptional upregulation of fatty acid oxidation and ketogenesis only in FMD. Hence, our comparative characterization of IF and FMD protocols renders both as effective DR regimens and serves as resource in the fasting research field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helene Michenthaler
- Division of Cell Biology, Histology and Embryology, Gottfried Schatz Research Centre, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Kalina Duszka
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Isabel Reinisch
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Markus Galhuber
- Institute of Biochemistry, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Elisabeth Moyschewitz
- Division of Cell Biology, Histology and Embryology, Gottfried Schatz Research Centre, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Sarah Stryeck
- Research Centre Pharmaceutical Engineering, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria
| | - Tobias Madl
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Otto Loewi Research Centre, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed-Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Andreas Prokesch
- Division of Cell Biology, Histology and Embryology, Gottfried Schatz Research Centre, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
- BioTechMed-Graz, Graz, Austria.
| | - Jelena Krstic
- Division of Cell Biology, Histology and Embryology, Gottfried Schatz Research Centre, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
- BioTechMed-Graz, Graz, Austria.
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