Andrew Scarborough, who lives in Ascot, claims he is now on almost no medication and was able to hold down a role as a patient adviser and complete a masters degree after beginning a ketogenic diet, against the advice of doctors.

The 29-year-old credits his ability to cope with his symptoms, which include epileptic fits, to the ultra-low carb, high-fat diet which has proven to help reduce tumours – or even eradicate them completely – in tests on mice.

Now two years after his original diagnosis, Andrew is part of Charing Cross Hospital’s ketogenic trials and advising other patients of the diet’s effectiveness.

Speaking to the News, Andrew said: “When I first developed epilepsy, something you often get with brain tumours, I thought I would give the diet a go and I found I stopped having seizures. I discussed the diet with five different neurologists about it and they all said what I was doing is very risky.

“But I am nearly off all my epilepsy medication thanks to the diet after being told I would need to be on them for life.

“A large dose of two different medications caused debilitating side effects. I am virtually free of this now and it’s so liberating.

“It can shrink the tumours, you would have to be on the diet indefinitely, but I believe it’s a diet that you can manage indefinitely. Most cancer patients are advised to go on a high-carb diet and are given high-sugar drinks – the higher your blood glucose levels the lower your prognosis and that’s a scientific fact.” Now working as a patient advisor at Charing Cross, Andrew wants to see more action taken at higher levels and has attracted the backing of councillors as well as Adam Afriyie, MP for Windsor.

Mr Afriyie said: “I cannot begin to imagine just how difficult his diagnosis must have been for him and his family.

“Andrew is a talented and admirable young man and I’m looking forward to seeing him next month when I’ll be watching the film, along with several long-term cancer survivors, about how we can tackle brain cancer. He is an inspiration to all young people and embodies triumph in adversity.” Andrew has organised for a screening of a film ‘Surviving Terminal Cancer’ in Sunninghill’s Cordes Hall on April 17, and aims to increase research into metabolic treatments for cancer and see a change in attitudes from doctors and politicians.

He said: “There needs to be a real change in dietary advice. It’s been affected by 60 years of being told fat is bad, but that’s not necessarily true. I believe the diet is not really a cure, but we can manage the disease and improve our quality of life.

“I’m 29 now, but I feel younger, I feel like those two years have gone very quickly and very slowly at the same time. I still feel 27.” Andrew has a blog documenting his fight against the disease at, www.mybraincancerstory.blogspot.co.uk