Effects of Fasting on Chemotherapy Treatment Response: A Systematic Review of Current Evidence and Suggestions for the Design of Future Clinical Trials.
Level 1 - systematic review of randomized trials
Systematic review of randomized and non-randomized clinical trials.
PubMed 34121530 · doi:10.1080/01635581.2021.1938147
What was done
Authors conducted a systematic review following PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO CRD42019120071) searching CENTRAL, PubMed/MEDLINE, LILACS, and Embase. They included randomized and non-randomized clinical trials investigating fasting (over 12 hours) on treatment response in adult cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Risk of bias was evaluated using Cochrane Handbook criteria.
What was found
From 1,393 identified citations, 3 studies met inclusion criteria, all utilizing fasting periods of at least 24 hours before chemotherapy. Two studies reported increased damage to healthy cells immediately after chemotherapy, but observed a decrease in damage magnitude after 48 and 72 hours of fasting. No difference in chemotherapy-related adverse events was found between intervention and control groups. Specific numerical values, sample counts, and effect estimates were not provided in the abstract.
Why it matters
Short-term fasting prior to chemotherapy is explored to reduce treatment-related toxicities, but this review shows evidence remains sparse and preliminary.
Limits
The review identified only 3 studies, all presenting high risk of bias on two or more Cochrane criteria. Samples and fasting protocols were heterogeneous, and exact participant numbers and quantitative outcomes were not reported in the abstract.
Cited by
- context Combining fasting with chemotherapy improves chemotherapy effectiveness and accelerates patient recovery.