I have been diagnosed with an Oligodendroglioma Grade II brain tumor and have already been through Chemo and Radiation Therapy with only stopping the tumor growth and no reduction.

I have recently begun the Low Carb High Fat (LCHF) diet (ketosis.)

I won’t know anything about the current size of the tumor until my next MRI (the beginning of March 2012)

I do know that before the diet I was having daily headaches. After starting the diet five weeks ago, my headaches have disappeared which makes me think it is doing something good in my brain. I am very hopeful that it has started apoptosis of the tumor. I will return to this site and keep you informed of my tumor regression to this diet as time progresses.

If you adjust your pre and postworkout nutrition you should be able to get better performance without sacrificing body composition. If you want to say at <7% body fat consistantly an intermitten fasting regiment like at leangains.com might be something that is more sustainable.

Thanks for all this great information.

I have been on a very low carbohydrate diet for 4 years now…but not as it relates to cancer. I have found it to be extremely effective as I am in the fitness industry and it has allowed to remain muscular and very lean (about 5%-7% body fat) year round…without have to do hours and hours of cardiovasular exercises to burn fat.

HOWEVER…I have found that with this diet has come the following:
1). Less strength in weight lifting exercises.
2). Less energy / stamina (primarily during exercising activities)
3). I developed large kidney stones in BOTH kidneys.
4). Over the last year I have developed what appears to be symptoms of arthritic in my spine.

In doing research I have run across many articles that seem to suggest that these “low carbohydrate diets” are so extremely acidic that they “open the door” for many diseases including arthitis and cancer.

In addition there seems to be a growing trend towards alkaline products..ie. alkaline waters (for the very purpose of reducing the acidity in the blood).

By the way….I eat lots of meat, eggs, chicken, cheese, and drink about three cups of coffee per day.

What are you thoughts on this….do you think I need to look at adjusting my diet to remain low carb but just find more healthy low carbohydrate food alternatives? Also, in your research have you been able to confirm or debunk the idea that keeping the body in ketosis (long term) is tied to these other symptoms I have been experiencing?

Thanks!

Drew

Thanks for the great post. My mom had melanoma (treated and cleared 3 years ago) and now is concerned they may have found cancer in her salivary gland. Is a ketogenic diet appropriate here?
I am getting her started on the paleo diet with the help of your book.

Thanks for your time and effort,

merm

Just wanted to say 2 1/2 years after diagnosis and having turned down radiotherapy I am still going strong much to surprise of my oncologist. The tumour is still there but not doing anything. I mix my diets, but primarily lo carb / paleo with a little Budwig and some intermittant fasting. Also work on managing stress with exericise and meditation. I’m 2 1/4 stone lighter than when I finished chemo. An ex work colleague of mine said seeing me again was like watching the Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Also despite a discectomy at L5/S1 in October last year I am finally back to consistent Crossfit training.

Thanks for input as it has influenced my nutrition and I believe my current good health

http://www.livinlowcarbdiscussion.com/showthread.php?tid=5657

Vary interested in your post of cancer and ketogenic diets since my Dad has cancer. He had primary Liver cancer, which is unusual since he hardly drinks and doesn’t have a Liver disease, and now has secondary cancer growths in the Obmentum ayear after his operation to remove the Liver cancer

He had the original Liver cancer removed along with his gall bladder and 2/4 of his Liver. My question is can he still go on a ketogenic high fat diet without a gall bladder as the Doctors say he should avoid fatty foods since he doesn’t have a gall bladder to make bile. Are they correct or can he use good fats over bad fats and still follow a keto diet. We live in New Zealand so all our meat is grass fed if this makes a difference.

He started chemo this week and I am looking for some sound advice to help his battle as they have caught the cancer early, albeit the prognosis still isn’t great.

Thanks
Mike

Just found you through this link I posted on the CF boards:

http://board.crossfit.com/showthread.php?t=23875

I’ve got a lot of reading ahead, but I wanted to say “Thank you!” for writing this. I’ve been wandering aimlessly until now.

Robert-
Thanks for the kind words but that’s a lot of pressure! I do a lot of aimless wandering!
Robb

another related study just reported:

http://conditioningresearch.blogspot.com/2007/11/more-on-low-carb-diets-for-treating.html
Chris-
Thanks Amigo! Great link as always.
Robb

Good stuff. However, I wanted to add a note of caution. Unlike adult cancers, chemotherapeutic agents have proven remarkably effective against most childhood cancers–many of which now have cure rates upwards of 90%. As I understand it (simplifying), the reason for this is that standard chemo agents interfere with quickly reproducing cells. The assumption is that cancer cells reproduce more quickly than normal cells. It turns out that this assumption is not so good when it comes to adult cancers, but does accurately characterize most childhood cancers.

Marc-
Great to hear from you. I’m going to copy your comment in another post and expand on things a bit.
Robb

I’ve learned so much from you, and appreciate your sharing so much with us.

I’m passing along this link to a physician client of mine who has renal cell carcinoma.

Best,
Coop

Coop-
Glad the information is valuable. keep me posted on your friend.
Robb

Back to the topic though:

I thought I recalled there was some discussion on how long a person should stay in a ketogenic state? Is there any time limit at all or is this more related to the individuals lifestyle? Obviously if you are trying to recover from cancer I don’t think beating your PR in Fran or something is at the top on your list of things to do. But for others like amateur/recreational athletes? Things then change if you are talking about the health/longevity bias too.

Allen-
No limit that I know of.
Robb

You’ve been tagged. Here’s the info. http://coachrut.blogspot.com/2007/09/jen-made-me-do-it.html

Best,

Rut

LOL! Ok, but just to clarify…is that 5 things you don’t know about me or 5 things I don’t know about me?

Ok, here tis:
1-I met Axl Rose in a strip club (7th Veil) on Thanksgiving day 1991.
2-I strongly dislike touching dirty windows.
3-Nicki’s sister kicks my ass at chess and checkers.
4-I have eaten dishes prepared with several types of reptile, rodent and insect in Mexico and SE Asia.

No clue on the Curamin. I suspect it is a curcumin extract. I really like Zyflamend from New Chapter.
Robb

Thanks for another great article. I’ll be sending it along to some of my mom’s friends who have cancer. The ‘establishment’ will pick this stuff up in a few decades like you said.

According to the keto-test strips anyway, I’m currently in ketosis. Been keeping carbs to a 30g ceiling daily and only vegetables, 1/2 cup fruit. Could I make this the new ‘normal’ and stay on it indefinitely?

Rob-
I believe so. I have dipped in and out of ketosis for years (testing with keto strips occasionally). The folks who wrote Lights Out recommend going keto something like October through June (for the northern hemisphere. Fall through winter) so a significant protion of the year. This is one of the things I’ve tried to reconcile with regards to performance and training…how much high intensity activity can a ketogenic diet support? Results appear to vary!
Robb

The most sobering thing I read about all this was in the Male Pattern Fitness blog. He said: ” It reminded me of a really sad story from a few years back: An acquaintance was diagnosed with cancer, but rather than going through chemotherapy, decided to “heal” his body with a macrobiotic diet, all fruits and vegetables with little protein or fat. The cancer took him in what was probably record time. If this theory is correct, he was right about diet being a weapon against his cancer. But he was dead wrong about the diet he chose.”

I put some more on this on my blog:
http://conditioningresearch.blogspot.com/2007/09/ketogenic-diet-and-cancerold-news.html

Chris-
The ketogenic approach is counter to just about everything we hear about. From the GOV to pesky vegetarian doctors. Things will shift eventually…I hope!
Great Site BTW
Robb

I’ll have to dig around to see if I can find it.

Shaf-

JV went sugar free but he still had whole grains in the mix. I emailed him about the potential of a ketogenic diet but never received a response. In the Times paper they mentioned some folks who improved on the diet, others experienced no direct benefit. It is thought however that a KD with calorie restriction and or intermittent fasting is more effective than a ketogenic diet alone. JV was a great guy…I never got up to Squim to train with him despite living in Seattle.
Robb