Intermittent fasting enhances cisplatin-metformin efficacy in therapy-resistant ovarian cancer PDXs

The development of platinum resistance is a significant challenge in the management of ovarian cancer. Targeting the metabolic adaptability of cancer cells and combining dietary interventions with pharmacological treatments are emerging strategies in oncology, enhancing therapy efficacy at low costs. Using ovarian cancer cisplatin-resistant patient-derived xenografts, we showed that repeated cycles of cisplatin plus metformin reversed platinum resistance by remodeling tumor metabolism. Then, based on metabolomic studies, we explored the use of different food approaches, in particular diets with a high vs. a low methionine content and the intermittent fasting regimen, to further stress tumor metabolism and increase the effect of drug treatment. Our findings demonstrated that only intermittent fasting enhanced the antitumor effects of the drug combination and significantly improved the survival, by impairing the tumor energy states. This research highlights the potential of integrating diet-based approaches with pharmacological treatments to overcome platinum resistance in ovarian cancer.