Dr Daniela Koppold speaks to ecancer at the ESMO Congress 2023 about the effects of short-term fasting on quality of life as an add-on option during chemotherapy.

Dr Koppold explains the aims of the study which was to evaluate the feasibility and health-related quality of life for breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. The study compared the effects of a 60-72 hour short-term fasting with a plant-based low-sugar diet.

The results showed that both short-term fasting and a plant-based low-sugar diet were safe for the studied population and had no serious adverse effects. However, short-term fasting during chemotherapy was found to be better tolerated and showed improvement in quality of life and reduced fatigue compared to a plant-based low-sugar diet.

These findings suggest that short-term fasting could be a viable option for breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.