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Complementary Care

Complementary care may include nutritional strategies, cannabinoids and other supportive approaches used alongside medical treatment. Evidence for direct anticancer effects remains limited, so these approaches should be discussed with the treating team and never replace standard care.

Highlighted Papers

van der Louw et al., 2019 — "Ketogenic Diet Treatment as Adjuvant to Standard Treatment of Glioblastoma Multiforme: A Feasibility and Safety Study"

Examines whether a ketogenic diet can be followed safely during chemoradiotherapy. The small study found it feasible for selected patients, but intensive dietary guidance was required and treatment effectiveness was not established.

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Twelves et al., 2021 — "A Phase 1b Randomised, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Nabiximols Cannabinoid Oromucosal Spray with Temozolomide in Patients with Recurrent Glioblastoma"

Evaluates the safety of nabiximols combined with temozolomide in recurrent glioblastoma. The study reported acceptable tolerability and an encouraging survival signal, but it was too small to establish clinical benefit.

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Further Literature

  • Buchalska, B., Kamińska, K., Owe-Larsson, M. et al. (2024): Cannabinoids in the treatment of glioblastoma. Pharmacol. Rep 76, 223–234 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43440-024-00580-x

  • Banerji, P., Campbell, D. R., Banerji, P. (2008):  Cancer patients treated with the Banerji protocols utilising homoeopathic medicine: a Best Case Series Program of the National Cancer Institute USA. Oncol Rep. 2008 Jul;20(1):69-74. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18575720/

  • Doherty, G.J., de Paula, B.H.R. (2021): Cannabinoids in glioblastoma multiforme—hype or hope?. Br J Cancer 124, 1341–1343 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41416-021-01265-5

  • Duraj, T., Kalamian, M., Zuccoli, G. et al. (2024): Clinical research framework proposal for ketogenic metabolic therapy in glioblastoma. BMC Med 22, 578 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-024-03775-4

  • Elsakka, A. M. A., Bary, M. A., Abdelzaher, E., Elnaggar, M., Kalamian, M., Mukherjee, P., Seyfried, T. N. (2018):  Management of Glioblastoma Multiforme in a Patient Treated With Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy and Modified Standard of Care: A 24-Month Follow-Up. Front Nutr. 2018 Mar 29;5:20. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2018.00020

  • Feng, S., Pan, Y., Lu. P., Li, N., Zhu, W., Hao, Z.. (2024): From bench to bedside: the application of cannabidiol in glioma. J Transl Med. 2024 Jul 11;22(1):648. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-024-05477-0

  • Javid, F. A., Belancic, A., Kwok, M. K., Lam, Y. W. (2025): Recent Advances in the Therapeutic Potential of Cannabinoids Against Gliomas: A Systematic Review (2022–2025). Pharmacology Research & Perspectives 13, no. 4 (2025): e70160, https://doi.org/10.1002/prp2.70160

  • Kaley, T., Pentsova, E., Brennan, C. et al. (2025): Carboxyamidotriazole orotate (CTO) with temozolomide (TMZ) for recurrent high-grade gliomas (rHGG) and in combination with TMZ/RT->TMZ in newly diagnosed glioblastoma (ndGBM): Long term follow-up of phase IB trial [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2025; Part 2 (Late-Breaking, Clinical Trial, and Invited Abstracts); 2025 Apr 25-30; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2025;85(8_Suppl_2):Abstract nr LB081. https://doi.org/10.1158/1538-7445.AM2025-LB081

  • Likar, R., Koestenberger, M., Stutschnig, M., Nahler, G. (2021): Cannabidiol Μay Prolong Survival in Patients With Glioblastoma Multiforme. Cancer Diagn Progn. 2021 May 3;1(2):77-82. https://doi.org/10.21873/cdp.10011

  • Omuro, A., Beal, K., McNeill, K. et al. (2017): Data Supplement, Multicenter Phase IB Trial of Carboxyamidotriazole Orotate and Temozolomide for Recurrent and Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma and Other Anaplastic Gliomas, Supplement. https://ascopubs.org/doi/suppl/10.1200/JCO.2017.76.9992/suppl_file/ds_2017.769992.docx

  • Omuro, A., Beal, K., McNeill, K. et al. (2018): Multicenter Phase IB Trial of Carboxyamidotriazole Orotate and Temozolomide for Recurrent and Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma and Other Anaplastic Gliomas. J Clin Oncol. 2018 Jun 10;36(17):1702-1709. https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.2017.76.9992

  • Twelves, C., Sabel, M., Checketts, D. et al. (2021): A phase 1b randomised, placebo-controlled trial of nabiximols cannabinoid oromucosal spray with temozolomide in patients with recurrent glioblastoma. Br J Cancer 124, 1379–1387 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41416-021-01259-3

  • van der Louw, E. J. T, M, Olieman, J. F., van den Bemt, P. M. L. A. et al. (2019): Ketogenic diet treatment as adjuvant to standard treatment of glioblastoma multiforme: a feasibility and safety study. Therapeutic Advances in Medical Oncology. 2019;11. https://doi.org/10.1177/1758835919853958

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