Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32036576›Full record

Trial reportJournal of neuro-oncology2020

Ketogenic diets as an adjuvant therapy for glioblastoma (KEATING): a randomized, mixed methods, feasibility study.

Kirsty J Martin-McGill, Anthony G Marson, Catrin Tudur Smith, Bridget Young, Samantha J Mills, M Gemma Cherry, Michael D Jenkinson

Open access · hybridAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Journal of neuro-oncology, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 48 papers, 11 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
48citing papers in PubMed, 11 pooled it
4.7field-weighted citation impact, top 4% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

48 citing papers in PubMed, 11 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 68 citations in OpenAlex.

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  3. Efficacy and safety of ketogenic diet in glioblastoma: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis.Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Kirsty J Martin-McGillInstitute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Brownlow Hill, Liverpool, L69 3BX, UK. Kirsty.martin@liverpool.ac.uk.
Anthony G MarsonInstitute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Brownlow Hill, Liverpool, L69 3BX, UK.
Catrin Tudur SmithDepartment of Biostatistics, University of Liverpool, Brownlow Hill, Liverpool, L69 3BX, UK.
Bridget YoungDepartment of Health Services Research, University of Liverpool, Brownlow Hill, Liverpool, L69 3BX, UK.
Samantha J MillsThe Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Lower Lane, Liverpool, L9 7LJ, UK.
M Gemma CherryDepartment of Psychological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Brownlow Hill, Liverpool, L69 3BX, UK.
Michael D JenkinsonInstitute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Brownlow Hill, Liverpool, L69 3BX, UK.
University of Liverpool · GBRoyal Liverpool University Hospital · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeWe conducted a feasibility study to investigate the use of ketogenic diets (KDs) as an adjuvant therapy for patients with glioblastoma (GBM), investigating (i) trial feasibility; (ii) potential impacts of the trial on patients' quality of life and health; (iii) patients' perspectives of their decision-making when invited to participate in the trial and (iv) recommending improvements to optimize future phase III trials.

methodsA single-center, prospective, randomized, pilot study (KEATING), with an embedded qualitative design. Twelve newly diagnosed patients with GBM were randomized 1:1 to modified ketogenic diet (MKD) or medium chain triglyceride ketogenic diet (MCTKD). Primary outcome was retention at three months. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of patients and caregivers (n = 15). Descriptive statistics were used for quantitative outcomes and qualitative data were analyzed thematically aided by NVivo.

resultsKEATING achieved recruitment targets, but the recruitment rate was low (28.6%). Retention was poor; only four of 12 patients completed the three-month diet (MCTKD n = 3; MKD n = 1). Participants' decisions were intuitive and emotional; caregivers supported diet implementation and influenced the patients' decision to participate. Those who declined made a deliberative and considered decision factoring diet burden and quality of life. A three-month diet was undesirable to patients who declined and withdrew.

conclusionRecruitment to a KD trial for patients with GBM is possible. A six-week intervention period is proposed for a phase III trial. The role of caregivers should not be underestimated. Future trials should optimize and adequately support the decision-making of patients.

Indexed as

Diet, KetogenicAdultAgedBrain NeoplasmsCombined Modality TherapyFeasibility StudiesFemaleGlioblastomaHumansMaleMiddle AgedPilot ProjectsProspective StudiesQualitative ResearchQuality of LifeTreatment OutcomeFeasibilityGlioblastomaKetogenic dietMixed-methodPilot

Identifiers

PMID32036576
PMCPMC7076054
OpenAlexW3005138711

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.