Methods and nutritional formulations to increase the efficacy and reduce the side effects of cancer treatment
AssigneeUniversity of Southern California
InventorsValter D. Longo, Changhan Lee
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to methods of protecting patients and sensitizing cancer cells in combination with chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. More specifically, the invention provides nutritional methods and formulations that are capable of reducing cancer growth without causing chronic weight loss in patients, protecting normal cells, tissues and organs from chemotherapy and/radiation therapy, and sensitizing cancer cells against low, normal and high-dose chemotherapy. Some of the methods also impede cancer growth even without chemotherapy.
Claims13
A method of sensitizing cancer to chemotherapy drugs, the method comprising:
- a) identifying a patient with cancer;
- and
- b) providing the patient with a first diet for a first predetermined period of time, the first diet providing the patient with at most 50% of the patient's normal caloric intake wherein at least 50% of the kilocalories are derived from fat;
- c) providing the patient with a second diet for a second predetermined period of time, the second diet providing the patient with at most 500 kcal/day;
- d) administering to the patient a chemotherapy agent during or after the patient consumes the second diet for at least 48 hours;
- and
- e) administering a replenishing composition to the patient for at least 5 days, the replenishing composition including essential amino acids, omega-3/6 essential fatty acids, minerals, and vegetable extracts, the vegetable extracts providing an equivalent of about five day servings of vegetable, where sources for the vegetable extract are selected from the group consisting of bok choy, kale, lettuce, asparagus, carrot, butternut squash, alfalfa, green peas, tomato, cabbage, cauliflower, and beets.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.