Does diet combined with chemotherapy affect pancreatic cancer treatment?

Author: TGen

Derek Cridebring, Ph.D. | Vice President, Molecular Medicine and Clinical Partner Relations

In recognition of Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, TGen highlights Derek Cridebring, Ph.D., Vice President, Molecular Medicine and Clinical Partner Relations, around the current projects happening in cancer treatment and care around pancreatic cancer. 

Project Overview

Researchers at TGen recently conducted a study to explore how a ketogenic diet—a high-fat, very low-carbohydrate diet—might affect pancreatic cancer. The findings suggest that following a ketogenic diet may have a positive impact by helping to reduce inflammation and stabilize blood sugar levels.

Cancer cells rely heavily on glucose (sugar) and carbohydrates for energy. By lowering sugar and carb intake, the ketogenic diet can limit the nutrients cancer cells need to grow. This “metabolic stress” may weaken cancer cells and allow the chemotherapy to work better.

In this study, patients who followed a ketogenic diet during chemotherapy treatment showed an increase in both progression-free survival (the amount of time before the cancer worsens) and overall survival compared to those on a standard diet.

Long-Term Goals and Potential Impact

The main goal of this research is to determine whether a ketogenic diet improves outcomes for patients receiving chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer. Because many types of cancer involve changes in metabolism, the results could also help guide future studies in other cancers where diet and metabolism play important roles.

Ultimately, the research could help doctors better understand how targeted nutrition can make cancer treatments more effective and improve quality of life for patients.

How the Trial Works

In this randomized clinical trial:

• All patients receive the same triple-drug chemotherapy regimen (gemcitabine, nab-paclitaxel, and cisplatin).
• Half of the participants follow a standard diet, while the other half follow a ketogenic diet.
• Each patient’s diet and nutritional status are closely monitored throughout treatment to ensure safety and consistency.

This study design allows researchers to directly compare outcomes between the two diet groups.

Why Diet Matters During Chemotherapy

Nutrition plays an important role in how patients tolerate treatment and recover. For this reason, many clinical teams include a registered dietitian or nutritionist as part of the care team. Because the ketogenic diet limits certain food groups, it requires careful coordination with medical and nutrition professionals to make sure patients still get all the essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients their bodies need during treatment.

You can read more and see the results here.

Learn more about TGen and the important work being done in cancer research at TGen.org.

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