A new study suggests that a common dietary supplement could make a type of cancer treatment called CAR-T cell therapy more effective.

The research, conducted by the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania and Penn Medicine, was shared at a major medical conference, the 66th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition (Abstract 4).

What is cART-T cell therapy?

CAR-T cell therapy is a cancer treatment that uses the patient’s own immune cells to fight cancer. These immune cells are taken from the patient, reprogrammed to attack the cancer, and then put back into the body.

Currently, this type of cancer treatment is being used largely only in people with specific blood cancers.

Role of diet in improving treatment

Researchers tested how different diets affected CAR-T cell therapy in mice suffering from a type of blood cancer.

They found that a ketogenic diet, popularly known as the keto diet, which is very low in carbohydrates and high in fat, improved the ability of CAR-T cells to fight tumors.

Why? The keto diet produces a substance called beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) in the body. BHB is a chemical made by the liver when the body burns fat for energy instead of sugar.

Researchers found that CAR-T cells used BHB as a better energy source than sugar, giving them more power to kill cancer cells.

What is keto diet?

The ketogenic diet, or keto diet, is a way of eating that limits carbohydrates (like bread, rice, and sugar) and focuses on fats (like ghee, butter, and nuts).

Normally, the body uses glucose (sugar) from carbohydrates for energy. However, when carbs become too low, the body enters a state called ketosis, where it begins to burn fat for energy.

This process produces molecules called ketones, including beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), which act as alternative fuels. Popular for weight loss, the keto diet typically includes foods like meat, fish, eggs, nuts, dairy and healthy fats, while avoiding bread, rice, sugar and starchy vegetables.

Testing the theory in humans

The research team also studied blood samples from cancer patients and healthy volunteers. They found that higher levels of BHB were associated with stronger CAR-T cell activity.

In mice, adding a simple BHB supplement helped CAR-T cells completely eliminate cancer in most cases.

What will happen next?

A clinical trial is now underway to see whether this approach works in humans with a type of blood cancer called diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. The study will test whether taking BHB supplements can increase the effectiveness of CAR-T cell therapy.

One of the researchers, Dr. Maayan Levy, highlighted that this potential treatment is low-cost and has minimal side effects.

However, the team cautioned that it is too early to make recommendations about diet or supplements. “We need more evidence from clinical trials,” he said.

If proven effective, this simple approach could be a game-changer for cancer treatment, offering patients a safe and affordable way to improve their outcomes.