PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:
I. To evaluate the feasibility of implementing a diet that induces nutritional ketosis in women who are initiating palliative chemotherapy to treat advanced stage breast cancer (BC).
II. To determine the effects of a ketogenic diet on tumor progression. III. To determine the effects of nutritional ketosis on biologic and behavioral health markers.
OUTLINE: Patients are assigned to 1 of 2 arms.
ARM I: Patients receive standard of care therapy with paclitaxel.
ARM II: Patients receive standard of care with paclitaxel. Patients undergo a controlled feeding period ketogenic diet comprising of meals prepared in the research kitchen for 3 months. Beginning 2 weeks prior to completion of the controlled feeding period, patients also undergo free living ketogenic diet program for 3 months comprising of group format, individual sessions, and online digital content to educate patients to implement a ketogenic eating pattern into their lifestyle.
