Ask HN: A friend has brain cancer: any bio hacks that worked?

Hacker News Discussion ↗

A terminal glioblastoma diagnosis prompts a search for “biohacks,” eliciting everything from ketogenic diets, fasting regimens, supplements and dewormer drugs to experimental magnetic devices, viruses and herbal protocols. Commenters push back hard on unproven remedies and “false hope,” stressing that diet or folk treatments cannot cure cancer and that the safest “moonshots” are regulated options like clinical trials, immunotherapies, tumor-treating fields and personalized vaccines discussed in recent research. A recurring theme is that, alongside pursuing any evidence-backed experimental care, patients and friends should prioritize quality of life, informed consent, and emotional support over frantic self-experimentation.

Standard Treatments & Prognosis

  • GBM is described as highly lethal; typical survival 12–24 months even with current best care.
  • Common “state of the art” components: surgery (often awake craniotomy), radiation, temozolomide chemotherapy, Tumor Treating Fields/Optune devices, monoclonal antibodies; some mention high‑dose vitamin C and melatonin as possible adjuncts.
  • Several posters stress that no existing regimen is curative; treatments are probabilistic and mainly extend or improve quality of life.
  • Some warn against overtreatment and emphasize trade‑offs: more months vs more disability and side effects.
  • Multiple people urge focusing on clinical trials (immunotherapy, CAR‑T, vaccines, ultrasound BBB opening, mRNA and dendritic cell vaccines), genetic sequencing of tumors, and major cancer centers.

Diet, Fasting & Metabolic Approaches

  • Many highlight ketogenic or very low‑carb diets, intermittent fasting, and prolonged fasting, citing:
    • Hypothesis that many cancers are glucose‑dependent.
    • Preclinical and early clinical work on keto, caloric restriction, autophagy, and “press‑pulse” metabolic strategies.
  • Others push back:
    • Body maintains glucose even in ketosis; “starving” cancer via diet alone is doubted.
    • Some research suggests keto might promote metastasis in some contexts.
    • Consensus in thread: diet may support treatment and tolerance to chemo/radiation but is unlikely to “stop” cancer by itself.
  • Fasting is discussed as potentially making chemo more tolerable and modulating immunity, but need for more controlled trials is repeated.

Fringe / Alternative / Experimental Ideas

  • Mentioned: ivermectin/fenbendazole, bloodroot/black salve, large herbal protocols, high‑dose supplements, cannabis, hyperthermia, rotating magnets/oscillating magnetic fields, bacterial and viral therapies (including Zika), Hymecromone, mTOR/rapamycin, psychedelics, ayurvedic and yogic regimens.
  • Some posters share personal or family anecdotes of benefit; others share anecdotes of no effect or harm.
  • There is strong skepticism and anger around ivermectin, bloodroot, and non‑evidence‑based claims; several call them misinformation or dangerous.
  • Recurrent theme: if such methods clearly worked, they’d likely already be in standard oncology; most cited papers are preclinical, small, or “promising but unproven.”

Quality of Life, Agency & Ethics of Advice

  • Many emphasize that the most reliable “hack” is to be present: help with logistics, reduce stress, enable vacations or bucket‑list experiences, support addiction risks, and consider end‑of‑life psychological support (including supervised psychedelic therapy).
  • Heated debate over “false hope” vs respecting patient agency:
    • One camp argues sharing unproven hacks burdens patients and delays acceptance.
    • The other argues that, in a terminal setting, low‑cost moonshots plus clear expectations are reasonable, as long as standard care and oncologists guide decisions.
  • Repeated advice: any nonstandard intervention should be discussed with the treating oncologist.