| Title | Very low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet in treatment-naïve women with endometrial cancer and overweight: a randomized feasibility study. |
| Publication Type | Journal Article |
| Year of Publication | 2026 |
| Authors | Dantas E, Hootman KC, Moyer J, Tomberlin M, Curran K, Ramesh B, Price H, Kim J, McPherson AC, Hurd MA, Zhu Y-S, Plodkowski AJ, Nagase E, Tsomides A, Cuevas BM, M Martin L, Nguyen J, Bennetti G, Rodriguez GBotero, Chang K, Mezzancello M, Gardner GJ, Broach V, Mueller JJ, Sonoda Y, Zivanovic O, Leitao MM, Iasonos A, Soldan K, Carthew K, Hom V, Villamater FN, Chaari RRao, Gorski K, Sigouros M, Aghajanian C, Elemento O, Cantley LC, Hopkins BD, Weigelt B, Ellenson LH, Hacker K, Abu-Rustum NR, Makker V, Goncalves MD |
| Journal | Nat Commun |
| Date Published | 2026 May 27 |
| ISSN | 2041-1723 |
| Abstract | This multicenter, prospective, randomized controlled trial (NCT03285152) evaluates the primary endpoint of feasibility of a very-low carbohydrate diet (VLCD) in 19 women with obesity/overweight and endometrial cancer, who are randomized 2:1 to either a VLCD or a standard diet for 21-28 days. Fifteen participants complete the study, with 91 ± 4% of VLCD meals consumed, 5.5 ± 0.8% weight lost, and no grade 3/4 adverse events. Secondary endpoints include assessments of tumor biology and circulating metabolic biomarkers. Fasting glucose and insulin fall 22 ± 5.9% and 60 ± 3.8%, while total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) rise 6 ± 2.7% and 17.8 ± 8.9%. In a pre-specified exploratory outcome, RNA-Seq shows enrichment of CD8 + T-cells (q < 0.034; NES > 1.75), confirmed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) showing CD8 + T-cells infiltration of the tumor margins (q = 0.034; NES = 1.75). We conclude that VLCD is feasible and well-tolerated. |
| DOI | 10.1038/s41467-026-73519-w |
| Alternate Journal | Nat Commun |
| PubMed ID | 42192131 |
| Grant List | R01CA279561 / / U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | National Institutes of Health (NIH) / |
