Dietary Modifications for Enhanced Cancer Therapy

Abstract

Tumors depend on nutrients supplied by the host for their growth and survival. Dietary modifications by the host can change nutrient availability in the tumor microenvironment, suggesting a promising strategy for tumor inhibition. Dietary modifications can limit tumor-specific nutritional requirements, alter certain nutrients that target the metabolic vulnerabilities of the tumor, or enhance the cytotoxicity of anti-cancer drugs. Recent reports imply that dietary modification of several nutrients can affect cancer-therapy, and some of the new exciting developments in this quickly expanding field are reviewed here. The reviewed data indicate that taking into consideration dietary habits and the nutritional state of the patient are an essential component in cancer research and therapy.