what feeds cancer

10 months ago 28
Nature

Cancer cells require various nutrients to grow, and while sugar is an important fuel for them, it is not their only requirement. Glutamine, an amino acid, is another essential nutrient for cancer cells. Research has shown that cancer cells are dependent on glutamine, and targeting this dependency could potentially be a promising approach for treating the disease. Additionally, arginine, another amino acid, has been identified as an essential nutrient for cancer cells, and depriving them of it could potentially render tumors more vulnerable to the bodys natural immune response.

It is important to note that while there is ongoing research to understand the relationship between sugar intake and cancer, cutting out all sources of sugar is not a practical solution. All cells, including cancer cells, use glucose as their primary fuel, and healthy cells also need glucose to function. Therefore, it is not feasible to selectively deprive cancer cells of glucose without impacting healthy cells.

In summary, while sugar is an important fuel for cancer cells, they also require other nutrients such as glutamine and arginine for their growth and survival. Understanding these dependencies could potentially lead to the development of targeted therapies for treating cancer.