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A special diet could help slow the growth of one of the deadliest brain tumors
New York Post • • health
Key Points:
- New research from the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research suggests that a specific medically supervised diet could slow the growth of high-grade gliomas, aggressive brain tumors, by targeting a metabolic flaw they share with a rare genetic disorder called GAMT deficiency.
- The study found that gliomas release a chemical called guanidinoacetate (GAA), which overstimulates nearby brain cells and promotes tumor growth; this chemical is also elevated in children with GAMT deficiency.
- In lab tests on mice, a diet restricting the amino acid arginine and supplementing ornithine, used to treat GAMT deficiency, significantly slowed tumor growth by reducing GAA production.
- Researchers plan to test this dietary approach in a clinical trial starting in 2027, with the possibility of patients adjusting their diet shortly before surgery to assess its impact on tumor metabolism.
- This diet is distinct from common diets like Mediterranean or ketogenic and requires medical supervision to restrict specific foods that influence tumor growth.
