Advances in the fight against cancer: chemotherapy and fasting

chemotherapyin combination with fastcan have a positive impact on the immune system. Moreover, this process varies by sex, especially in melanoma models and in the presence of testosterone as a relevant factor, which has important clinical implications. This is stated in a recent study conducted by a group of scientists from IMDEA Food Institutewhich represents an important milestone in the field of cancer treatment.

The results of the work showed how fasting increases the availability Natural killer cells And Natural Killer T for melanoma and CD8 lymphocytes V colorectal adenocarcinomawhen used together with chemotherapy. This study extends two previous ones. Metabolic syndrome group V IMDEA Foodwho have already discovered the ability of short-term fasting to modulate various new biomarkers associated with protection toxicity

To chemotherapy.

The results showed how fasting increases the presence of Natural Killer and Natural Killer T cells in melanoma and CD8 lymphocytes in colorectal adenocarcinoma when used in conjunction with chemotherapy.

In the same vein, other work also showed an increase p21 protein when merging fast And chemotherapyrevealing two effects: protection against toxicity in metabolically important tissues (kidney, liver and heart) and increased effectiveness of treatment against colorectal adenocarcinoma.

Now they studied different models of cancer, observing immune reactions another. Thus, “improving chemotherapy With fast “This may not depend on the specific type of immune cell.” Here’s what a molecular biologist notes Pablo Jose Fernandez-Marcoslead the study, which shows that interactions between immune cells in different tissues, such as tumors, peripheral blood and nearby lymph nodes, are extremely complex.

For example, in the model melanoma B16-F10It was observed that some cells (Natural killer And Natural Killer T), are especially effective when fasting is combined with chemotherapy. Besides, CD8 lymphocytes They also play an important role in the differences observed between the sexes in this model.

At the same time in the model colon adenocarcinoma (MC38), the team found an increase in the incidence of the disease when combined with fasting and chemotherapy. effector CD8 T cells

And CD4 Th1 lymphocytes inside the tumor, which has antitumor properties. In contrast to the previous melanoma model, the fasting-enhanced response was observed in both male and female mice.

In addition, the researchers observed a significant decrease in the number of macrophages in the tumor, which have protumor properties. These data show the “complexity of the immune response across different types of cancer” and suggest that a combination fast

And chemotherapy may be a promising strategy to improve the effectiveness of cancer treatment.

“The study reveals what is called ‘sexual dimorphism in response to starvation’ and has significant translational implications.”

On the other hand, the work made it possible to identifysexual dimorphism‘in immune reactions that are induced by a combination fast And chemotherapy. Thus, it is more pronounced in males than females, as observed in a mouse study. This phenomenon is noticeably manifested in the model melanoma. However, no differences were observed in the response of both sexes in the other. colorectal adenocarcinoma.

This suggests a marked complexity in the interactions between treatments and different disease types. This finding highlights the importance of considering sex as a critical factor in developing personalized therapeutic strategies to combat cancer.

Explore how sex influences the combination effect fast And chemotherapy The fight against cancer has been tested on both male and female mice. melanoma. Doctor Fenandez-Marcos stresses that the investigation has revealed what is known as “sexual dimorphism in response to starvation“. This “has significant translational consequences, especially in tumors such as melanomawhere testosterone, the male sex hormone, plays a decisive role in the effects fast“, he concludes.