Safety, feasibility, and effectiveness of ketogenic diet in paediatric
patients with brain tumours: A systematic review
Abstract
Evidence suggests positive effects of ketogenic diet (KD) on cancers by
limiting glucose availability to cancer. This systematic review aimed to
explore the safety, feasibility, and effectiveness of KD in children
with brain tumours (BT), including diet side effects, patient tolerance
and compliance, tumour response, quality of life, and nutritional
status. Using publications from several databases between 1995-2022,
involving children with BT following KD, we reviewed eight publications,
involving 11 patients, with median age of 5.3 years. Nine patients
followed classic KD with medium-chain triglyceride (MCT oil). Remaining
patients used modified Atkin or low-carbohydrate diet. KD was
well-tolerated with non-severe side effects. Six patients showed
positive tumour response, five improved neurological skills, and four
reported growth improvement. Six patients reported a median overall
survival of 17.6 months. KD can be a safe, and feasible dietary
intervention for children with BT. However, the effects on tumours
remain unclear and require further study.