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Do cancer cells like/need more sugar than regular cells?
Pancreatic Cancer | Last Active: Apr 28 11:31am | Replies (13)Comment receiving replies
And that's why I ask cause I think I read somewhere on this Mayo Clinic site, that ALL cells need sugar, not just cancer cells. So, cancer cells feeding off sugar is a myth. I hope so, cause I like my sweets! (It's been 4+ years since my Whipple procedure, and 3.5 years since completing 6 months of chemo)
Replies to "And that's why I ask cause I think I read somewhere on this Mayo Clinic site,..."
At what stage did they find the cancer?
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Hi @pancreaticcsurvivor, I think you might be referring to this related discussion:
- Should sugar be eliminated from diet in a cancer patient? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/should-sugar-be-eliminated-from-diet-in-a-cancer-patient/
Also, so this blog post by Mayo Clinic:
- Sugar's Role in Cancer https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/cancer-education-center/newsfeed-post/sugars-role-in-cancer-1/
According to this article by Mayo Clinic nurse educators "Sugar seems to be a major source of anxiety and fear for people with cancer. There is a myth circulating that sugar feeds cancer and that avoiding sugar will prevent the growth of cancer. To set things straight…sugar does not cause cancer on its own. Giving sugar to cancer cells does not make them grow faster and depriving cancer cells of sugar does not make them grow more slowly. ..."
More specifically to your question about sugar and PET scan.
There are many myths that circulate about sugar and cancer. It's important to get the facts. This article by Mayo Clinic experts helps debunk common myths, including the facts about PET scans and the use of radioactive tracer — typically a form of glucose.
- Cancer causes: Popular myths about the causes of cancer https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cancer/in-depth/cancer-causes/art-20044714
EXCERPT
"Myth: People who have cancer shouldn't eat sugar, since it can cause cancer to grow faster.
Fact: More research is needed to understand the relationship between sugar in the diet and cancer. All kinds of cells, including cancer cells, depend on blood sugar (glucose) for energy. But giving more sugar to cancer cells doesn't make them grow faster. Likewise, depriving cancer cells of sugar doesn't make them grow more slowly.
This misconception may be based in part on a misunderstanding of positron emission tomography (PET) scans, which use a small amount of radioactive tracer — typically a form of glucose. All tissues in your body absorb some of this tracer, but tissues that are using more energy — including cancer cells — absorb greater amounts. For this reason, some people have concluded that cancer cells grow faster on sugar. But this isn't true.
There is some evidence that consuming large amounts of sugar is associated with an increased risk of certain cancers, including esophageal cancer. Eating too much sugar can also lead to weight gain and increase the risk of obesity and diabetes, which may increase the risk of cancer."