Targeting Cancer Metabolism With Ketogenic Therapy and Fasting

Could metabolic therapies become part of the future of cancer care?

That question sits at the center of Dr. Bret Scher’s conversation with neurologist and researcher Dr. Matthew Phillips, whose recent study explored a metabolic approach in people with glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer.

Rather than relying on a single intervention, the study combined a ketogenic diet, intermittent fasting, and repeated five-day fasts alongside standard chemotherapy and radiation. Together, these strategies were designed to lower the Glucose Ketone Index, or GKI, by reducing glucose and increasing ketones.

In this conversation, they explore:

• Why cancer cell metabolism is becoming an important area of research
• How glucose, ketones, and mitochondrial function may influence cancer growth
• Why the GKI was a central target in the study
• How fasting and ketogenic therapy were integrated with standard cancer treatment
• The difference between intentional weight loss and cancer cachexia
• Why quality of life deserves as much attention as survival
• What the study’s long-term survivors may teach researchers
• Why larger randomized trials are still needed

Participants following the metabolic protocol achieved an average GKI of 1.88, and every participant completed all eight five-day fasts. The metabolic therapy group also had a median survival of 21 months compared with 14 months in the control group, along with a higher rate of survival beyond three years.

These results offer a compelling reason to keep studying this approach, particularly in a cancer with such limited treatment options and a difficult prognosis. Since the trial was small and nonrandomized, it can’t provide definitive answers, but it does give researchers a strong foundation to build on.

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Expert Featured:

Dr. Matthew Phillips

• https://www.metabolicneurologist.com/
• https://x.com/drmclphillips

Resources Mentioned:

Intensive multimodal ketogenic metabolic therapy in glioblastoma: A clinical trial

• https://doi.org/10.1093/noajnl/vdag165

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Follow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.

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About us:

Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them.

Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice nor establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have dramatic or potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications.