Ketogenic Diet With Radiation and Chemotherapy for Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma

Phase I/II Prospective Trial for Newly Diagnosed GBM, With Upfront Gross or Subtotal Resection, Followed by Ketogenic Diet With Radiotherapy and Concurrent Temodar(R) Chemotherapy Followed by Adjuvant Temodar(R) Chemotherapy.

Status

Terminated

Phases

Phase 1Phase 2

Study type

Interventional

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT02046187

Enrollment

Registered

2014-01-27

Start date

2013-10-31

Completion date

2017-02-28

Last updated

2021-06-16

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Glioblastoma (GBM)

Keywords

Ketogenic Diet, Brain tumor, Glioma, Glioblastoma, Radiation, Chemotherapy, temozolomide

Brief summary

This study aims to see if reducing blood sugar and increasing ketones (a metabolic product that comes from using fats for energy) can increase survival and enhance the the effects of standard radiation and chemotherapy treatments used to treat glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). These changes occur from use of a ketogenic diet. This research has 2 goals: 1. Show that patients can tolerate the diet and maintain low blood glucose and high blood ketone levels. 2. Show if this diet enhances the effectiveness of standard treatment by prolonging survival of patients with a GBM.

Detailed description

The investigators propose to offer this study to patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) that undergo gross total resection (GTR) or subtotal resection (STR) of their tumor. Post-operatively, these patients and their families will be instructed in the implementation of the Ketogenic Diet (KD) and it will be started as soon as possible following surgery to achieve ketosis and reduction of blood sugar. Patients will receive standard chemoradiotherapy with fractionated external beam radiation (60Gy) and concurrent oral temozolomide chemotherapy followed by 12 adjuvant cycles of temozolomide chemotherapy on a standard dose schedule. Outcome measures of the study group will be compared to historic controls in the treatment arm from the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) temozolomide study published by Roger Stupp et al, New England Journal of Medicine, March 10, 2005. Note: Gross Total Resection (GTR), Subtotal Resection (STR), temozolomide (Temodar), and radiation therapy are routine care for GBM and are not an investigational component of this study. Study end-points: Primary: Ketogenic diet (KD) tolerance and compliance in brain tumor patients. The diet will be considered tolerable if the patient chooses to remain compliant. Compliance is monitored by the dietician using self reporting of diet, blood glucose and blood ketone levels. Secondary: Overall survival, time to recurrence, health and therapy-related quality of life. Overall survival and progression free survival will be measured and compared to the historic controls who received chemoradiotherapy in standard dose scheduling. Laboratory correlate: Molecular/immunohistochemical analysis of tumors that do and do not respond to a KD.

Interventions

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENTKetogenic Diet

Patients/families meet with the study dietician after surgery to discuss the ketogenic diet (KD), ask questions and plan clinic visits. Before radiation and chemotherapy begins, training takes place about the diet, meal planning and ketone/glucose monitoring. Ketosis will begin with the help of the dietitian one week before radiation begins. The patient will follow a classic 4/1 KD during chemo-radiation, followed by a modified Atkins diet during monthly chemotherapy. At the end of this period patients will follow a normal low carbohydrate diet similar to a Diabetic diet. The dietitian will follow the patient over the course of treatment. The patient will take and record ketone and glucose blood levels daily from start to end of treatment MRI scan, and meet with the dietitian weekly during radiation, at follow-up visits and on an as-needed basis.

RADIATIONRadiation therapy

Patients receive standard dose (60Gy/30 fractions) external beam radiation

DRUGTemozolomide

patients receive standard dose (75 mg/kg/day) temozolomide by mouth daily with radiation for 6 weeks. patients will also have standard maintenance dose (150-200 mg/kg/day) for five days each month for 12 cycles following radiation course.

Study design

Allocation

Intervention model

SINGLE_GROUP

Primary purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

ALL

Age

18 Years to 80 Years

Healthy volunteers

Inclusion criteria

* adult patients, 18 - 80 years of age, * a single enhancing lesion of the brain with MRI appearance consistent with GBM * Pathologic confirmation of GBM * Zubrod Performance Scale (ZPS) \< 2 * Must be able to undergo MRI imaging with gadolinium * Must have access to a computer and the internet (to use KetoCalculator© on-line Database)

Exclusion criteria

* unable to undergo MRI with gadolinium * genetic disorders of fat metabolism * patients receiving sodium valproate (may cause false ketone reading in urine) * diabetes * enrolled in another treatment trial for GBM

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame	Description
Number of participants with adverse events	8 weeks	Number of participants with adverse events from initiation of ketogenic diet through end of radiation (while on ketogenic diet)

Secondary

Measure	Time frame	Description
overall survival	2 years	overall survival
time to progression	2 years	time to progression
quality of life	2 years	patient reported outcome of their quality of life using FACT-BR (version 4) survey

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Mar 4, 2026