Linkage between sugar and cancer found [View all]

[packman]

Most non-cancerous cells in the body get their energy by aerobic respiration, a process that involves breaking down digested food into usable, energy-rich molecules through a series of chemical processes that requires oxygen, then releasing carbon dioxide as a byproduct. But not cancer cells. Even when ample oxygen is available to break down glucose and use it as fuel, cancer cells would rather get energy from fermenting sugar, which has a lower energy yield than the normal chemical reactions cells use. This phenomenon is called the 'Warburg effect'

Their findings suggest that the most common cancer-causing genes, called Ras proteins, fuel aggressive tumors with their sugar intake. In short, sugar “awakens” existing cancer cells, making them multiply and expand rapidly, according to these scientists.


“ The hyperactive sugar consumption of cancerous cells leads to a vicious cycle of continued stimulation of cancer development and growth” lead study author and Belgian molecular biologist Johan Thevelein, a professor at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, wrote in a press release.

http://www.businessinsider.com/cancer-sugar-tumor-growth-warburg-effect-2017-10