Open-access systematic review of preclinical fasting-mimicking diet studies in cancer models. It summarizes evidence that FMD can alter tumor metabolism and may enhance chemotherapy, hormone therapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, or vitamin C effects in animal studies, while emphasizing that the evidence base is primarily preclinical.
Fasting
Fasting is a cancer-related diet or nutrition protocol discussed for nutrition status, metabolic support, inflammation, digestion, immune resilience, treatment tolerance, or alternative cancer-treatment claims. In cancer care, it should be evaluated by evidence level, intended use, safety, interactions, and whether it is being used as conventional treatment, supportive care, an experimental adjunct, or an alternative claim.
Original preclinical oral cancer study testing fasting-mimicking diet conditions with gefitinib. The authors report direct cancer-cell sensitization and reduced CCL2-mediated tumor-associated macrophage recruitment through STAT3-related signaling.
Clinical and translational report from the BREAKFAST phase 2 trial of cyclic fasting-mimicking diet with anthracycline-taxane chemotherapy in early triple-negative breast cancer. The article reports safety/compliance signals, strong pathologic response outcomes in the enrolled cohort, and early downmodulation of tumor glycolysis as a possible predictor of response.
Official page for Valter Longo's cancer-specific fasting/FMD book and public-facing claims.
Preclinical study reporting that fasting-mimicking diet restored sensitivity to CDK4/6 inhibition and potentiated anti-tumor activity in breast cancer models through suppression of IGF1/RAS-associated mTORC1 signaling. Useful for tracking FMD plus targeted-therapy hypotheses.
Randomized trial of FMD during neoadjuvant chemotherapy in HER2-negative breast cancer; reported less grade III vomiting and neutropenia in the FMD group and favorable hematologic differences.
Preclinical pancreatic carcinogenesis study in a KRAS-driven mouse model. Cyclic fasting-mimicking diet delayed pancreatic carcinogenesis and was associated with shifts in gut microbiota, increased butyrate-producing bacteria, and altered pancreatic tissue metabolites.
ClinicalTrials.gov record for DIRECT-2, a fasting-mimicking diet program with chemotherapy in HR-positive HER2-negative breast cancer.
Systematic review of nine publications/eight studies with 379 patients; concluded data are low/moderate quality, heterogeneous, underpowered, and insufficient to prove benefit, with caution about weight loss.
Review of intermittent/periodic fasting during chemotherapy, summarizing small human trials and future directions.
Clinical trial reporting metabolic and immune changes from cyclic fasting-mimicking diet with standard antitumor therapies.
Broad review of intermittent and periodic fasting across longevity and disease, including cancer-relevant mechanisms and cautions.
Review of water-only fasting and fasting-mimicking diets in relation to chemotherapy augmentation.
Preclinical and translational study reporting FMD plus endocrine therapy effects in hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer models and patient-derived data.
Randomized phase 2 DIRECT trial testing fasting-mimicking diet around neoadjuvant chemotherapy for HER2-negative breast cancer.
Randomized phase 2 DIRECT trial of FMD during neoadjuvant chemotherapy for HER2-negative stage II/III breast cancer; reported adherence challenges and selected response/DNA-damage signals.
Preclinical study on FMD plus pharmacologic vitamin C against KRAS-mutated cancers; useful because it overlaps fasting and IV vitamin C protocol trails.
Review of molecular background, current knowledge, and clinical trials evaluating short-term fasting in cancer treatment.
High-level review of fasting/FMD mechanisms in cancer, including differential stress resistance, differential stress sensitization, metabolite/growth-factor shifts, and clinical application cautions.
Randomized cross-over pilot trial of 60-hour fasting in breast and ovarian cancer chemotherapy; reported feasibility and quality-of-life/fatigue signals without serious adverse effects.
Dose-escalation pilot study of 24, 48, and 72 hour fasting around platinum-based chemotherapy; found feasibility and mostly mild fasting-related symptoms.
Randomized pilot study of short-term fasting during (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy in HER2-negative breast cancer.
Early case series of 10 cancer patients voluntarily fasting around chemotherapy; reported reduced self-described side effects in some patients, but uncontrolled design.
Active NCI-listed trial assessing FMD for immune-related adverse events in cancer patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors.
NCI-listed pilot phase II trial record for fasting-mimicking diet with chemo-immunotherapy in metastatic non-small cell lung cancer. The listing describes the hypothesis that FMD may enhance cancer-cell vulnerability and reduce treatment side effects.
Review article covering intermittent fasting and fasting-mimicking diet as cancer-management strategies, including proposed metabolic and immune mechanisms and the need for stronger clinical validation before routine oncology use.
Active NCI-listed phase II trial testing a monthly 5-day fasting-mimicking diet with standard treatment in metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer, focused on treatment response and metabolic/cardiometabolic outcomes.
NCI listing for administratively complete pilot trial of short-term fasting around platinum chemotherapy in advanced solid tumors.