A Ketogenic Formula Prevents Tumor Progression and Cancer Cachexia by Attenuating Systemic Inflammation in Colon 26 Tumor-Bearing Mice

Low-carbohydrate, high-fat diets (ketogenic diets) might prevent tumor progression and could be used as supportive therapy; however, few studies have addressed the effect of such diets on colorectal cancer. An infant formula with a ketogenic composition (ketogenic formula; KF) is used to treat patients with refractory epilepsy. We investigated the effect of KF on cancer and cancer cachexia in colon tumor-bearing mice. Mice were randomized into normal (NR), tumor-bearing (TB), and ketogenic formula (KF) groups. Colon 26 cells were inoculated subcutaneously into TB and KF mice. The NR and TB groups received a standard diet, and the KF mice received KF ad libitum. KF mice preserved their body, muscle, and carcass weights. Tumor weight and plasma IL-6 levels were significantly lower in KF mice than in TB mice. In the KF group, energy intake was significantly higher than that in the other two groups. Blood ketone body concentrations in KF mice were significantly elevated, and there was a significant negative correlation between blood ketone body concentration and tumor weight. Therefore, KF may suppress the progression of cancer and the accompanying systemic inflammation without adverse effects on weight gain, or muscle mass, which might help to prevent cancer cachexia

Nutritional treatment with an immune-modulating enteral formula alleviates 5-fluorouracil-induced adverse effects in rats.

Cancer chemotherapy is frequently accompanied by adverse effects, such as diarrhoea and leukopenia, which lead to malnutrition and a decrease in the patients' quality of life. We previously demonstrated that an immune-modulating formula (IMF)-an enteral formula enriched with immunonutrients, whey-hydrolysed peptides, and fermented milk-had anti-inflammatory effects and protective effects on intestinal disorders in some experimental models. Here, we investigated whether nutritional treatment with the IMF could prevent 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-induced adverse effects in rats. Rats were randomised into CTR and IMF groups, which received a control formula or the IMD supplemented formula ad libitum. Two weeks after starting the formula, rats were intraperitoneally injected with 5-FU (300 mg/kg) on day 0. The treatment with 5-FU decreased their body weights, food intake, and leukocyte counts, and worsened the diarrhoea score. However, the body weights, food intake, and leukocyte counts were significantly higher in the IMF rats than in the CTR rats on day 1. The IMF also delayed the incidence of diarrhoea and significantly preserved the villus heights in the jejunum on day 2. In conclusion, nutritional treatment with the IMF alleviated the adverse effects induced by 5-FU injection in rats