ArticlePloS one2020
The effect of a ketogenic diet and synergy with rapamycin in a mouse model of breast cancer.
Article in PloS one, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 24 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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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.
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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.
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Who cites it
24 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 46 citations in OpenAlex.
- Research progresses and hotspots on glucose metabolic reprogramming in breast cancer: a bibliometric analysis over the past two decades.Frontiers in oncology · 2024Pooled it
- Ketogenic Diet: A Metabolic Key to Overcoming Cancer Therapy Resistance.Molecular nutrition & food research · 2026Review
- The Microbiota-Diet-Immunity Axis in Cancer Care: From Prevention to Treatment Modulation and Survivorship.Nutrients · 2025Review
- Ketogenic diet and cancer: multidimensional exploration and research.Science China. Life sciences · 2025Review
- Nutrition Intervention and Microbiome Modulation in the Management of Breast Cancer.Nutrients · 2024Review
- Ketogenic diet does not promote triple-negative and luminal mammary tumor growth and metastasis in experimental mice.Clinical & experimental metastasis · 2024Article
- Improved therapy for clear cell renal cell carcinoma: beta-hydroxybutyrate and quercetin target hypoxia-induced angiogenesis and multidrug resistance.Molecular biology reports · 2024Article
- Reprogramming of Lipid Metabolism Mediates Crosstalk, Remodeling, and Intervention of Microenvironment Components in Breast Cancer.International journal of biological sciences · 2024Review
- Dysregulation of Fatty Acid Metabolism in Breast Cancer and Its Targeted Therapy.Breast cancer (Dove Medical Press) · 2024Review
- A Potential Role for the Ketogenic Diet in Alzheimer's Disease Treatment: Exploring Pre-Clinical and Clinical Evidence.Metabolites · 2023Review
- Ketone Bodies Induce Unique Inhibition of Tumor Cell Proliferation and Enhance the Efficacy of Anti-Cancer Agents.Biomedicines · 2023Article
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- Common Pathogenetic Mechanisms Underlying Aging and Tumor and Means of Interventions.Aging and disease · 2022Article
- Targeting mTOR in the Context of Diet and Whole-body Metabolism.Endocrinology · 2022Review
- Review
- Systemic Ketone Replacement Does Not Improve Survival or Cancer Cachexia in Mice With Lung Cancer.Frontiers in oncology · 2022Article
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- [The ketogenic diet: history, mechanism of action, indications and contraindications].Problemy endokrinologii · 2021Article
- Avenues of research in dietary interventions to target tumor metabolism in osteosarcoma.Journal of translational medicine · 2021Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundThe effects of diet in cancer, in general, and breast cancer in particular, are not well understood. Insulin inhibition in ketogenic, high fat diets, modulate downstream signaling molecules and are postulated to have therapeutic benefits. Obesity and diabetes have been associated with higher incidence of breast cancer. Addition of anti-cancer drugs together with diet is also not well studied.
methodsTwo diets, one ketogenic, the other standard mouse chow, were tested in a spontaneous breast cancer model in 34 mice. Subgroups of 3-9 mice were assigned, in which the diet were implemented either with or without added rapamycin, an mTOR inhibitor and potential anti-cancer drug.
resultsBlood glucose and insulin concentrations in mice ingesting the ketogenic diet (KD) were significantly lower, whereas beta hydroxybutyrate (BHB) levels were significantly higher, respectively, than in mice on the standard diet (SD). Growth of primary breast tumors and lung metastases were inhibited, and lifespans were longer in the KD mice compared to mice on the SD (p<0.005). Rapamycin improved survival in both mouse diet groups, but when combined with the KD was more effective than when combined with the SD.
conclusionsThe study provides proof of principle that a ketogenic diet a) results in serum insulin reduction and ketosis in a spontaneous breast cancer mouse model; b) can serve as a therapeutic anti-cancer agent; and c) can enhance the effects of rapamycin, an anti-cancer drug, permitting dose reduction for comparable effect. Further, the ketogenic diet in this model produces superior cancer control than standard mouse chow whether with or without added rapamycin.
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Registered trials
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.