Standard Therapy Plus Adjunctive Vegan Lifestyle Intervention in Metastatic Prostate Cancer: A Case Report

Prostate cancer is among the most frequently diagnosed cancers in men globally, with metastatic disease contributing substantially to morbidity and mortality. While conventional therapies remain the standard of care, dietary and lifestyle behaviors are increasingly explored as potentially modifiable factors influencing clinical outcomes, although their role in advanced disease is not well established. We report a 60-year-old, physically active male, lifelong non-smoker without significant comorbidities, diagnosed with de novo metastatic prostate adenocarcinoma (Gleason score 9) and an initial prostate-specific antigen (PSA) of 808.3 µg/L. The patient received standard androgen deprivation therapy. By personal choice, he adopted a whole-food, low-fat (WFLF) vegan diet, structured physical activity, and periodic fasting-mimicking diet cycles. These interventions complemented, but did not replace or delay, conventional treatment. During the 14-month follow-up period, serial PSA measurements, laboratory tests, blood pressure monitoring, dietary assessment, body composition analysis, imaging, and germline genetic testing were performed. PSA declined from 808.3 µg/L to 1.7 µg/L (>99.8%), and remained suppressed throughout follow-up. Concurrent improvements were observed in body composition and metabolic biomarkers. The WFLF vegan diet increased fiber and micronutrient intake while reducing saturated fat and cholesterol. This case demonstrates the successful application and execution of an integrative oncology approach and highlights metastatic prostate cancer managed with standard therapy alongside patient-initiated lifestyle modifications. The findings should be interpreted as descriptive, exploratory, and hypothesis-generating. Given the single-patient design, the independent impact of lifestyle interventions cannot be determined. Controlled studies are warranted to clarify their potential role in advanced prostate cancer management.

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Publication Details

Journal
Current Oncology
Published
2026-08-18
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol33080485
Primary Topic
Agriculture Sustainability and Environmental Impact
Type
article
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article

Standard Therapy Plus Adjunctive Vegan Lifestyle Intervention in Metastatic Prostate Cancer: A Case Report

Anno Graser, Katharina Wirnitzer, Boštjan Jakše, Zlatko Fras
Current Oncology
Agriculture Sustainability and Environmental Impact
article

Standard Therapy Plus Adjunctive Vegan Lifestyle Intervention in Metastatic Prostate Cancer: A Case Report

Anno Graser, Katharina Wirnitzer, Boštjan Jakše, Zlatko Fras
article en

Abstract

Prostate cancer is among the most frequently diagnosed cancers in men globally, with metastatic disease contributing substantially to morbidity and mortality. While conventional therapies remain the standard of care, dietary and lifestyle behaviors are increasingly explored as potentially modifiable factors influencing clinical outcomes, although their role in advanced disease is not well established. We report a 60-year-old, physically active male, lifelong non-smoker without significant comorbidities, diagnosed with de novo metastatic prostate adenocarcinoma (Gleason score 9) and an initial prostate-specific antigen (PSA) of 808.3 µg/L. The patient received standard androgen deprivation therapy. By personal choice, he adopted a whole-food, low-fat (WFLF) vegan diet, structured physical activity, and periodic fasting-mimicking diet cycles. These interventions complemented, but did not replace or delay, conventional treatment. During the 14-month follow-up period, serial PSA measurements, laboratory tests, blood pressure monitoring, dietary assessment, body composition analysis, imaging, and germline genetic testing were performed. PSA declined from 808.3 µg/L to 1.7 µg/L (>99.8%), and remained suppressed throughout follow-up. Concurrent improvements were observed in body composition and metabolic biomarkers. The WFLF vegan diet increased fiber and micronutrient intake while reducing saturated fat and cholesterol. This case demonstrates the successful application and execution of an integrative oncology approach and highlights metastatic prostate cancer managed with standard therapy alongside patient-initiated lifestyle modifications. The findings should be interpreted as descriptive, exploratory, and hypothesis-generating. Given the single-patient design, the independent impact of lifestyle interventions cannot be determined. Controlled studies are warranted to clarify their potential role in advanced prostate cancer management.

Current OncologyVol. 33(8)
University of Ljubljana (SI), Universität Innsbruck (AT), Ljubljana University Medical Centre (SI), University College of Teacher Education Tyrol (AT), Kranj School Centre (SI), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin (DE), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (DE)
Zero hunger
Openalex Percentile: Top 9%
Agriculture Sustainability and Environmental Impact
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