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Ted Hutchinson
05-29-2009, 12:41 PM
Carbohydrate Restriction May Slow Prostate Tumor Growth (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090526140842.htm)


You can find the research this press release was based on here (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19470786)
Purpose: Numerous dietary factors elevate serum levels of insulin and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), both potent prostate cancer mitogens. We tested whether varying dietary carbohydrate and fat, without energy restriction relative to comparison diets, would slow tumor growth and reduce serum insulin, IGF-I, and other molecular mediators of prostate cancer in a xenograft model.
Experimental Design: Individually caged male severe combined immunodeficient mice (n = 130) were randomly assigned to one of three diets (described as percent total calories): very high-fat/no-carbohydrate ketogenic diet (NCKD: 83% fat, 0% carbohydrate, 17% protein), low-fat/high-carbohydrate diet (LFD: 12% fat, 71% carbohydrate, 17% protein), or high-fat/moderate-carbohydrate diet (MCD: 40% fat, 43% carbohydrate, 17% protein). Mice were fed to maintain similar average body weights among groups. Following a preliminary feeding period, mice were injected with 1 x 10(6) LNCaP cells (day 0) and sacrificed when tumors were >/=1,000 mm(3).
RESULTS: Two days before tumor injection, median NCKD body weight was 2.4 g (10%) and 2.1 g (8%) greater than the LFD and MCD groups, respectively (P < 0.0001). Diet was significantly associated with overall survival (log-rank P = 0.004). Relative to MCD, survival was significantly prolonged for the LFD (hazard ratio, 0.49; 95% confidence interval, 0.29-0.79; P = 0.004) and NCKD groups (hazard ratio, 0.59; 95% confidence interval, 0.37-0.93; P = 0.02). Median serum insulin, IGF-I, IGF-I/IGF binding protein-1 ratio, and IGF-I/IGF binding protein-3 ratio were significantly reduced in NCKD relative to MCD mice. Phospho-AKT/total AKT ratio and pathways associated with antiapoptosis, inflammation, insulin resistance, and obesity were also significantly reduced in NCKD relative to MCD tumors.
CONCLUSIONS: These results support further preclinical exploration of carbohydrate restriction in prostate cancer and possibly warrant pilot or feasibility testing in humans.

I can't get the full text of this so can't provide more detail.

I see the study was funded by Atkins foundation but they had no other input into the study. You wouldn't have to do atkins to achieve a high fat low carb diet. I've been doing this. (http://blogg.passagen.se/dahlqvistannika/?anchor=my_lowcarb_dietary_programe_in) without any problems. Lost 2.25lbs a week till I reached target weight and haven't regained any since. No problems sticking to it, very simple, no calorie/carb counting. I've found using coconut oil makes it easier to stay slightly ketogenic. You can buy it in a 10litre container much cheaper than small jars.

Ted Hutchinson
05-29-2009, 02:47 PM
Here is the abstract from the study.
(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19470786)
Purpose:
Numerous dietary factors elevate serum levels of insulin and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), both potent prostate cancer mitogens. We tested whether varying dietary carbohydrate and fat, without energy restriction relative to comparison diets, would slow tumor growth and reduce serum insulin, IGF-I, and other molecular mediators of prostate cancer in a xenograft model.

Individually caged male severe combined immunodeficient mice ( were randomly assigned to one of three diets (described as percent total calories):
very high-fat/no-carbohydrate ketogenic diet (NCKD: 83% fat, 0% carbohydrate, 17% protein),
low-fat/high-carbohydrate diet (LFD: 12% fat, 71% carbohydrate, 17% protein), or
high-fat/moderate-carbohydrate diet (MCD: 40% fat, 43% carbohydrate, 17% protein).
Mice were fed to maintain similar average body weights among groups. Following a preliminary feeding period, mice were injected with 1 x 10(6) LNCaP cells (day 0) and sacrificed when tumors were >/=1,000 mm(3).
RESULTS:
Two days before tumor injection, median NCKD body
weight was 2.4 g (10%) and 2.1 g (8%) greater than the LFD and MCD groups, respectively (P < 0.0001).
Diet was significantly associated with overall survival . Relative to MCD, survival was significantly prolonged for the LFD and NCKD groups Median serum insulin, IGF-I, IGF-I/IGF binding protein-1 ratio, and IGF-I/IGF binding protein-3 ratio were significantly reduced in NCKD relative to MCD mice. Phospho-AKT/total AKT ratio and pathways associated with antiapoptosis, inflammation, insulin resistance, and obesity were also significantly reduced in NCKD relative to MCD tumors.
CONCLUSIONS:
These results support further preclinical exploration of carbohydrate restriction in prostate cancer and possibly warrant pilot or feasibility testing in humans.

I've tried to get the full text but I can't so can't provide any more detail.

As far as I see it there is plenty of recent research showing that low carb diets generally improve lipid profiles more than low fat high carb intakes so make and ideal strategy for weight loss and avoidance of metabolic syndrome. If they also help prostate cancer that's a bonus.
Lots of open access research about diet here
Nutrition and Metabolism. (http://www.nutritionandmetabolism.com/)

Ted Hutchinson
05-29-2009, 02:51 PM
As cancers require glucose to grow the idea of reducing blood glucose levels to reduce the rate of cancer growth is intuitive.
We can see it's been tried for brain cancers (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19049606)

and it may be useful for Gastric cancer (http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pubmed&pubmedid=18447912)

The idea for using it for PC has been around a while now

Is there a role for a low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet in the management of prostate cancer? (ttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16844447)

Effects of a ketogenic diet on tumor metabolism and nutritional status in pediatric oncology patients: (http://www.scopus.com/record/display.url?eid=2-s2.0-0028946933&view=basic&origin=inward&txGid=8zkR7j4JBaybnk6T3NoqSZa:4)