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[LovesLife]

Dr. West: 

I have a question that perhaps you have addressed previously; if so, I apologize.  I have read members on several boards make comments regarding "sugar feeding cancer cells".  I have always been told, and have always believed, that this is not true.  I believe that this statement comes from the fact that they use a type of "sugar" (can't remember the actual name at this precise moment) and this makes the tumors show up metabolically.  Could you please tell me if my line of thinking is correct, as the more I see this out there, the more I start to wonder if my thinking is incorrect.  I realize this is probably a silly question; however after just reading this again in a more recent post it really has me starting to question my judgement. 

Thanks in advance,

Linda

[recce101]

Linda:

Here are 3 places where Dr. West has discussed the issue (myth?):

http://cancergrace.org/forums/index.php?topic=1041.msg5337;topicseen#msg5337

http://cancergrace.org/forums/index.php?topic=738.msg3866;topicseen#msg3866

http://cancergrace.org/forums/index.php?topic=1146.msg6017#msg6017

Ned

[Dr West]

Linda,

   I'd consider it to be among the most frequent "myths", or at least oversimplifications, in cancer.  There's just enough truth in it, since cancer cells use glucose for energy, that this idea will never, ever go away.  But glucose is a universal form of energy for all cells, so I think it would be like trying to dismantle the entire structure for the gasoline infrastructure in an effort to get Hummers off the road.  They use gas (lots), but so do nearly all other cars. 

   As always, thank you, Ned, for providing the links to more thorough discussions of this topic.

-Dr. West

(No Hummers were harmed in the writing of this post.)

[LovesLife]

Ned ... thank you once again for coming to the rescue ... I was pretty sure I had read someone that it was a myth.  I will do a more thorough search next time rather than repeating questions already asked and answered.   

Dr. West ... Thanks once again for answering this question.  As above, I apologize for not doing a more thorough search.  Now, I am off to enjoy a bit of chocolate (70% cocoa, but still sugar and I love it!)  

Glad to hear the Hummers are safe (gulp, I drive a Suburban!)

Thanks again guys,

Linda

[ts]

How frustrating - just received the AARP Magazine for March/April 2009 and David Servan-Schreiber, M.D. is claiming an anti-cancer diet should "avoid refined sugar wherever it lurks" - "Sugar fuels cancer growth and triggers inflammation." Also he says to avoid white flour since it turns into sugar in the body.

But dark chocolate is okay - as if you will eat it with no sugar? Frustrating to read his article.

[Dr West]

   I think one of the most frustrating aspects is that it's a nuanced question, because it's true that cancer cells use sugar as a fuel in the body -- the problem is that every other cell does too. 

   I have never seen an iota of evidence that a diet designed to be low in sugar leads to an improvement in lung cancer survival.  There is some evidence that a lower fat, healthier diet leads to better outcomes in breast cancer, but nobody is recommending against a healthy diet.  For that matter, nobody is recommending Krispy Kreme donuts either (at least not for health, but for quality of life...you could do worse).

   To me, the problem is the extreme to which some people will take it, which can translate to counterproductive weight loss and a worsening of quality of life if the restriction are very tight.

-Dr. West

[ts]

You could do better than Krispy Kreme...Top Pot! And  I don't even like doughnuts! I'd take a cupcake first.

I recently heard of two oncologists who congratulated their patients (husband and wife, matter of fact) in taking up cigar smoking as a quality of life decision. I would not that go far, but for them, it was a way to wind down the day and spend some time together. Guess mouth and tongue cancer is slow growing and easy to watch? Still...

[reginac]

And now there is an article in Nature which seems to suggest that sugar should be regulated much like alcohol.  The full article is only available for subscribers:
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v482/n7383/full/482027a.html

[cards7up]

This was on the news recently also, how ridiculous trying to tell people what to eat. Healthy diets have been out there for years, you can't force them down people's throats. It'll never pass in the US unless they want to get rid of cigarettes and alcohol and we all know that'll never happen.
Take care, Judy