New study says sugar ‘awakens cancer cells’

Belgian scientists revealed Wednesday that they made a discovery in the relationship between sugar and cancer. Calling it a “crucial breakthrough in cancer research,” the scientists clarified how the Warburg effect, a phenomenon in which cancer cells rapidly break down sugars, stimulates tumor growth. This discovery provides evidence for a positive correlation between sugar and cancer, which may have far-reaching impacts on tailor-made diets for cancer patients. The research was published in the academic journal Nature Communications.

The researchers revealed that sugar basically “awakens cancer cells.”

“Our research reveals how the hyperactive sugar consumption of cancerous cells leads to a vicious cycle of continued stimulation of cancer development and growth,” said Johan Thevelein, a professor at VIB, a life sciences research institute in Flanders, Belgium. “This link between sugar and cancer has sweeping consequences. Our results provide a foundation for future research in this domain, which can now be performed with a much more precise and relevant focus.”

VIB noted that “a breakthrough in research” is not the same as “a breakthrough in medicine.” The realizations of researchers can form the basis of new therapies, but the development path still takes years, VIB stated.

Regarding artificial sweeteners, which close to one-third of Americans use on a daily basis, the Harvard Medical School recently reported that aspartame, sucralose and stevia, which are all added to soda, yogurt and other foods, do not help people lose weight and may have the opposite effect, and even possibly increase the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease.