Sugars are one of the most important molecules found in our body. They are vital for our cells to function and for our organs to keep us alive. Sugar, usually in the form known as glucose, is broken down by cells to release the energy they need to survive. Find out how Worldwide Cancer Research scientist, Professor Kevin Ryan, is using sugar to enhance the effect of cancer treatment.
What is the relationship between sugar and cancer?
Cancer cells churn through sugar molecules at an accelerated rate in order to release the energy they need to grow and divide in a dangerous, erratic way. This 'addiction' to glucose is such a defining feature of cancer cells that cancer can be detected through imaging techniques that spot the sugar feeding-frenzy in diseased parts of the body.
But the relationship between sugar and cancer is more complex than you might think.
Because cancer cells might need glucose to survive, but healthy cells do too. And, interestingly, there is evidence appearing that there could also be a link between sugar and cancer treatment. One of our international cancer researchers, Professor Kevin Ryan, has uncovered a counter-intuitive way to disrupt cancer cells' ability to get their energy from glucose, by feeding them another sugar called mannose.
What is mannose and how is it different from glucose?
Mannose is a naturally occurring sugar that is highly related to glucose and Professor Ryan found that it could dramatically repress the growth of certain cancer cell types, but not others.
They found that mannose doesn’t stop glucose getting into tumour cells but interferes with how the glucose is broken down once inside the cell - disrupting how cancer cells generate energy from glucose or use it to manufacture building blocks that the cells use to grow and divide.
Importantly, the research showed that the size of tumours in mice with cancer were significantly decreased when treated with mannose and chemotherapy, either alone or in combination. While either treatment alone was able to reduce tumour size, the effect was enhanced when both treatments were given in combination.
What is next for using mannose in cancer treatment?
What we need to see now is if there’s feasibility to use mannose in humans with cancer. We need to know which tumours will respond, so that we can work out which patients would benefit. There needs to be more pre-clinical work looking at the effects of mannose on specific cancers before ultimately taking this forward into clinical trials.
Although the clinical studies haven't been done yet to know if mannose is therapeutically beneficial to humans, we could envisage in the future that this sugar could be used to counteract the glucose addiction of tumours.
Perhaps with more research we could see mannose given in combination with chemotherapy to somehow boost the effect of standard treatments.
Is mannose a preventative treatment?
Professor Ryan's study also found that mice that had their drinking water supplemented with a high level of mannose seemed to be less likely to develop tumours without having any negative impact on the health of the animals, though he is quick to dismiss any claim that mannose could ward off cancer in humans.
So far the team have only looked at this effect in cells and in mice and we do not yet know how this will translate to people - the research is still in the relatively early stages right now.
There’s a lot more work to do before we can accurately predict when this research could lead to a usable treatment for patients.
But based on current findings, we can certainly see the possibility that in the future we might have a cheap and safe way to slow down cancer growth or even to boost the effects of chemotherapy.
Why is it so important to fund discovery cancer research like this?
Finding cancer cures can be like solving a jigsaw puzzle. The more pieces in place the better. This research has given us new information about how we could stop cancer cells getting the energy they need to thrive and this could lead to new cures in the future.
As a cancer charity we are proud to support discovery research like this to help us one day reach a day where no life is cut short by cancer.
Your FAQs about sugar and cancer:
What is the link between diet, sugar, and cancer?
The link between diet, sugar and cancer is complicated and can be difficult to study. We know that certain foods, such as processed or red meats can increase your risk of certain cancers. But we don’t know the whole picture, which is why researchers are trying to find more clues about the relationship between diet and cancer.
Sugar is not carcinogenic, meaning it is not classed as a cancer-causing substance in the way that cigarettes are. However, eating too much sugar can contribute to obesity which does make you more likely to develop cancer.
All the cells in your body need energy to survive and cancer cells need plenty since they grow so rapidly. So there used to be an idea that starving cancer cells of sugar could be a way to stop them, but this is tricky since our healthy cells need energy from sugar too. Instead there could be other ways to stop cancer cells getting the glucose they need, as Professor Ryan found out.
Does sugar cause cancer or help it grow?
Cancer cells need a lot of energy because they grow very quickly. So they do need sugar. But that doesn’t mean that sugar causes cancer and there is no evidence that cutting sugar from your diet helps to prevent or treat cancer. A healthy, balanced diet and limiting alcohol intake are good habits to follow if you want to reduce your cancer risk.
Can sugar intake increase cancer risk?
Sugar does not directly affect your cancer risk, but it can do so indirectly. Eating too much sugar can contribute towards obesity which increases the risk of developing several types of cancer.
Can sugar be used to treat cancer?
No, sugars cannot currently be used to treat cancer. This research suggests that mannose could be a possible mechanism for treating cancer but further research is needed to explore this idea.
Could mannose be used in future cancer treatments?
This research in mice suggests that a high-mannose diet could reduce the risk of cancer development. More research is needed to explore whether this could work for cancer patients.
Can reducing sugar intake help cancer patients?
Reducing sugar in your diet will not directly help if you have cancer. However, too much sugar can contribute to obesity which is a risk factor for several types of cancer, so a healthy balanced diet is recommended. Cancer patients shouldn’t cut out sugar completely but reducing sugar intake is part of maintaining a healthy diet, which is important when going through cancer treatment.
Donate today to start new cures
Be part of the united effort to stop lives being cut short by cancer.