Table 1.
Summary of study descriptions
| Reference | Title | Study design | Examined components | Main finding(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dietary carbohydrate and cancer | ||||
| Ho et al. (24) | A low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet slows tumour growth and prevents cancer initiation | Experimental | A low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet vs a high-carbohydrate, low-protein diet | The ability of a low-carbohydrate diet to slow down the development of cancer without any impact on weight |
| Moulton et al. (25) | A HPMC diet fed at discrete meals reduces early progression of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-induced breast tumourigenesis in rats | Experimental | A low-protein and high-carbohydrate diet vs HPMC diet | A low-carbohydrate diet can help to slow down the growth of breast tumours |
| Sieri et al. (27) | Dietary GI, GL, and the risk of breast cancer in an Italian prospective cohort study | Cohort | High GI and GL vs low GI and GL | GL and GI are associated with the risk of breast cancer in women |
| Stattin et al. (28) | Prospective study of hyperglycemia and cancer risk | Cohort | FBS and BS of the top quartile versus the bottom quartile | Hyperglycemia was associated with cancer risk |
| Tan-Shalaby et al. (29) | KD in advanced cancer: A pilot feasibility and safety trial in the veterans affairs cancer patient population | CT | 20 g–40 g of carbohydrates daily for 16 weeks | The modified Atkins diet is safe and a practical approach to prevent cancer progression and helps to maintain the quality of life |
| Shukla et al. (30) | Metabolic reprogramming induced by ketone bodies diminishes pancreatic cancer cachexia | Experimental | Normal diet vs KD | KD reduced tumour growth and inhibited body weight loss |
| Allen et al. (31) | KD enhance oxidative stress and radio-chemo-therapy responses in lung cancer xenografts | Experimental | Standard diet vs KD | KD enhances radio-chemotherapy responses in lung cancer xenografts by a mechanism that may involve increased oxidative stress |
| Kim et al. (32) | Carbohydrate restriction and in lactate transporter inhibition in a mouse xenograft model of human PCa | Experimental tumour | WD vs KD | Differences volumes were observed only in comparisons between mice fed a KD and mice fed a WD |
| Otto et al. (33) | Growth of human gastric cancer cells in nude mice is delayed by a KD supplemented with omega-3 fatty acids and MCT | Experimental | Standard diet vs KD | An unrestricted KD enriched with omega-3 fatty acids and MCT delayed tumour growth in a mouse xenograft model |
| Morscher et al. (34) | Inhibition of neuroblastoma tumour growth by KD and/or calorie restriction in a CD1-Nu mouse model | Experimental | Standard diet vs KD | KD reduced neuroblastoma tumour growth |
| Poff et al. (35) | The KD and hyperbaric oxygen therapy prolong survival in mice with systemic metastatic cancer | Experimental | Standard diet vs KD | KD produced anti-cancer effects in metastatic cancer |
| Caso et al. (36) | The effect of carbohydrate restriction on PCa tumour growth in a castrate mouse xenograft model | Experimental | WD vs KD | Carbohydrate restriction provided a benefit to slowing PCa tumour growth compared to a KD in mice |
| Abdelwahab et al. (37) | The KD is an effective adjuvant to radiation therapy for the treatment of malignant glioma | Experimental | Standard diet vs KD | KD significantly enhanced the anti-tumour effect of radiation |
| Caso et al. (36) | The effects of varying dietary carbohydrate and fat content on survival in a murine LNCaP prostate cancer xenograft model | Experimental | Moderate carbohydrate diet vs KD | Carbohydrate restriction improved the survival rate in PCa in humans |
| Hao et al. (39) | Growth of human colon cancer cells in nude mice is delayed by KD with or without omega-3 fatty acids and MCT | Experimental | Standard diet vs KD | An unrestricted KD delayed tumour growth in a mouse xenograft model |
| Dietary carbohydrates and the FTO gene | ||||
| Gholamalizadeh et al. (51) | Macronutrients and the FTO gene expression in hypothalamus; a systematic review of experimental studies | Systematic review of experimental studies | The effect of dietary carbohydrates on the FTO gene expression | Dietary carbohydrates can affect the level of FTO gene expression |
| Sonestedt et al. (52) | Fat and carbohydrate intake modify the association between genetic variation in the FTO genotype and obesity | Cross-sectional | The impact of carbohydrate intake on the association between FTO and BMI | The relation between FTO gene polymorphisms and obesity can be seen only in people who have a low carbohydrate intake |
| Qi et al. (53) | FTO genetic variants, dietary intake, and BMI: Insights from 177,330 individuals. | Cross-sectional | The impact of carbohydrate intake on the association between FTO and BMI | Carbohydrate intake had no effect on the relationship between FTO and BMI |
Body mass index (BMI), glycemic index (GI), glycemic load (GL), fasting blood sugar (FBS), blood sugar (BS), fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO), clinical trial (CT), ketogenic diet (KD), western diet (WD), medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), prostate cancer (PCa), high-protein and moderate-carbohydrate (HPMC)