Effects of Dietary Restriction on Cancer Development and Progression

The effects of caloric restriction on tumor growth and progression are known forover a century. Indeed, fasting has been practiced for millennia, but just recentlyhas emerged the protective role that it may exert toward cells. Fasting cycles areable to reprogram the cellular metabolism, by inducing protection against oxidativestress and prolonging cellular longevity. The reduction of calorie intake aswell as short- or long-term fasting has been shown to protect against chronic anddegenerative diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular pathologies, and cancer.In vitro and in vivo preclinical models showed that different restriction dietaryregimens may be effective against cancer onset and progression, by enhancingtherapy response and reducing its toxic side effects. Fasting-mediated beneficialeffects seem to be due to the reduction of inflammatory response and downregulationof nutrient-related signaling pathways able to modulate cell proliferationand apoptosis. In this chapter, we will discuss the most significant studiespresent in literature regarding the molecular mechanisms by which dietaryrestriction may contribute to prevent cancer onset, reduce its progression, andpositively affect the response to the treatments.