This article speaks of sugar and tumor research.
Full article: http://www.individual.com/story.php?story=105735570
There has been much discussion on here regarding dietary sugar intake and its affect on tumors.
I found this part interesting:
"Tumor cells seem to be addicted to glucose. Normal cells are not. They grow at a slower rate and if you challenge them with nutrient deprivation they can be more flexible," Ayer said.
Ayer emphasized that his lab's findings shed no light on dietary impacts on tumor growth. Glutamine is the most common amino acid in our bodies and glucose levels are tightly regulated by our endocrine system, regardless of sugar consumption.
The fact that cancer cells might die if deprived of glucose doesn't mean cancer patients should cut sugar out of their diets, researchers say.
Cancer patients should eat a balanced diet to promote good health. Cutting out sugar would not inhibit tumor growth, said Don Ayer, a professor of oncological sciences at the Huntsman Cancer Institute. Even with a sugar-free diet, there still would be plenty of glucose in the blood to feed cancer.
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Sugar and tumors
- By Shamrock2009
- Posted September 4, 2009 at 2:35 pm · 6 replies
- In Research
- Shared with the public
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- By DianaS
- Posted September 4, 2009 at 5:53 pm
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It sounds like I gave sugar up for nothing. How depressing, and I thought I was really helping myself.
- By lifeisgrand
- Posted September 4, 2009 at 6:23 pm
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Before my diagnosis the only foods I wanted to eat and actually seemed to crave were fresh fruit. I had an aversion to many other foods. I guess these little buggers know what they like and know how to get it.
- By momanderson920
- Posted September 4, 2009 at 8:53 pm
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I asked my oncologist about the alkaline diet. She has a PhD in dietetics in addition to her speciality in oncology. She said the body always work towards homeostasis and if it becomes too alkaline, the body would bring it back to the right ph by increasing respirations. I don't know what to think. I figure eating healthy by reducing sugar and pursuing a more alkaline diet appears to help reduce disease states like diabetes and heart disease so it sure helps in other ways. I try to pursue moderation and have cut out alot of sugar, fat, processed foods, and try and eat the more alkaline foods. I think the answer lies somewhere in the middle.
- By Mom82
- Posted September 5, 2009 at 8:26 am
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<<The fact that cancer cells might die if deprived of glucose doesn't mean cancer patients should cut sugar out of their diets, researchers say.>.
Somehow this statement does not make sense to me at all. If there is a slightest chance that cancer cells will die if deprived of glucose, why not deprive them??? Wouldn't that increase the chances of fighting this? And it wouldn't be that hard to do. Why not try it?
The debate on this is open. Some experts recommend to avoid all carbs for cancer patients, others say to only avoid simple sugars but complex sugars are ok, then there is the glycemic index, etc...
I don't think there is anything to lose by trying to cut out sugars/carbs. it is not going to hurt.
- By khollett
- Posted September 5, 2009 at 2:29 pm
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My doctor said there is no truth to the sugar theory. Since there is sugar in alot of the things we eat, like fruits and vegetables. I was in remission for 4 years and ate healthy but had my share of sugar products. The disease didn't rear its ugly head again until my husband, son and I moved. Everything that was comfortable to me changed and I became stressed. About a year later the disease was back. Don't know if there is any correlation or not. This disease is very opotunistic if you ask me, and does what it wants to do when it wants.
Kathy
- By Shamrock2009
- Posted September 5, 2009 at 6:37 pm
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i read the whole article and I understand it to mean that they need to find the mechanism to turn off the tumor reception of sugar related to glutamine absorption. Glutamine is being used by many to reduce peripheral neuropathy caused by taxol--is this detrimental for us to use?
What I don't understand is that they also mention the sugar uptake in a tumor during a PET scan---why doesn't that cause tumor growth?? If it did no one would using PET scan on any of us.
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