Studies Examine How Keto Affects Immunotherapy Cancer Treatments

Medically reviewed by

Dr. Rosmy Barrios, MD

Dr. Rosmy Barrios, MD is an aesthetic medicine specialist whose work focuses on patients who are treated for obesity, metabolic syndrome, and other weight-related issues through nutritional analysis, keto diet programs, and supporting medications.

Updated May 13, 2018 by

Amber Bogdanowicz

Amber is a freelance writer and student based in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. She studies molecular biology at Bloomsburg University, writes for a number of companies about all sorts of cool things, and enjoys reading about new scientific developments. When she’s not in the lab culturing cells or writing, she’s normally enjoying her time with her dogs or hanging out with her family.

News, Science

Photo by CI Photos/Shutterstock.com

A 2018 study examined the effect of diet on anti-cancer immune responsiveness,¹ demonstrating that nutrition can enhance the effectiveness of immunotherapy against cancer. The most effective diets included low-carb, high-fat diets like keto.

A Closer Look at Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is a type of treatment that helps your immune system fight cancer. It does so through a number of mechanisms: monoclonal antibodies, adoptive cell transfer (ACT), cytokines, treatment vaccines, and Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG, a type of immunotherapy specific to bladder cancer).²

Monoclonal antibodies are drugs that bind to specific targets to manipulate the immune system to fight cancer cells. ACT uses T cells, which are a part of your immune system that destroys infected cells. ACT isolates, “weaponizes,” and then re-introduces T cells back into your body to kill cancer. Cytokines are naturally made proteins that function to kill cancer cells. Treatment vaccines fight cancer by empowering your immune system. BCG is a weak form of bacteria that results in tuberculosis and initiates an immune response that focuses its efforts on your cancer cells.

Tumor Microenvironment

Tumors create their own little “worlds” within your body known as “Tumor Microenvironments” (TME). Researchers specifically looked at these to understand the link between cancer and diet. Previous research demonstrated that metabolic factors such as the presence of glucose (the primary “food” for cancer) greatly affects immune activity within TMEs.³

Energy and Inflammation

Food contains molecules that act like antigens, which are a part of your immune system that reacts if your body sees them as foreign. Have you ever heard someone say to not eat before buying a ring? Research shows that after eating, your body initiates an immune response in the form of inflammation. If you ate before buying a ring, your finger would swell slightly, and you may buy a ring that’s a bit roomier than it should be.

Carbs and Inflammation

One study examined the relationship between carb consumption and inflammation. Researchers specifically considered the production of IL-17 (an inflammatory molecule) and IL-10 (an anti-inflammatory molecule) in a junk food diet and a ketogenic diet.⁴ In the group that consumed junk food, inflammatory levels increased and anti-inflammatory levels decreased. In the group that consumed a low-carb, high-fat diet, inflammatory levels decreased and anti-inflammatory levels increased. This research showed that what you eat can influence immunity.

The Big Idea

These studies show that a low-carb diet can impair the ability of tumors to form and thrive by basically starving them. Glucose (the primary food cancers thrive on) and insulin (one of the ways cancer cells get into other cells) levels decrease on the keto diet, reducing inflammation and keeping you healthier.

The relationship between diet, immunotherapy, and cancer is complex. Researchers are finding that this relationship is more important than we previously thought, and studies continue to confirm how helpful keto is in improving all aspects of your health!

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Dr. Rosmy Barrios, MD

This article has been medically reviewed by Dr. Rosmy Barrios, MD.