Journal: Communications biology
This review discusses how cancer cells meet their energy needs and how dietary interventions might influence tumor metabolism.
Key points:
- Cancer cell metabolism: Cancer cells share metabolic traits with embryonic and other highly proliferative tissues, relying on efficient acquisition and breakdown of macromolecules for energy.
- Nutrient pathways: The article outlines major pathways tumors use to obtain and catabolize nutrients, emphasizing that systemic dietary changes only modestly alter the direct substrate supply reaching the tumor.
- Limits of diet alone: Because of this limited direct impact on tumor fuel availability, diet alone is unlikely to be a stand‑alone metabolic therapy for cancer.
- Indirect effects of diet: Dietary interventions can indirectly stress tumor metabolism by:
- Hormonal changes: Inducing hormonal states that are less favorable for tumor growth
- Immune effects: Enhancing antitumor immune responses
- Inflammation reduction: Reducing systemic and tumor-promoting inflammation
- Adjunctive role of diet: The authors argue that incorporating structured dietary strategies as an adjunct to established oncologic treatments may provide meaningful benefits, even if the direct restriction of tumor energy substrates is relatively modest.