According to a study on prostate cancer modified mice, restricting carbohydrates, regardless of weight loss, appears to slow the growth of tumors in prostate cancer.

In the US alone there will be an estimated 192,280 new cases of prostate cancer in 2009, with an estimated 27,360 deaths from prostate cancer.

"Previous work here and elsewhere has shown that a diet light in carbohydrates could slow tumor growth, but the animals in those studies also lost weight, and because we know that weight loss can restrict the amount of energy feeding tumors, we weren't able to tell just how big an impact the pure carbohydrate restriction was having, until now," said Stephen Freedland, lead investigator on this study.

The researchers believe that insulin and insulin-like growth factor contribute to the growth and proliferation of prostate cancer, and that a diet devoid of carbohydrates lowers serum insulin levels in the bodies of the mice, thereby slowing tumor growth, Freedland said.

The prostate cancer modified mice were fed one of three diets: a very high fat/ no carbohydrate diet; a low-fat/ high carbohydrate diet; and a high fat/ moderate-carbohydrate diet, which is most similar to the "Western" diet most Americans eat, Freedland said.

"The mice that were fed a no-carbohydrate diet experienced a 40 to 50 percent prolonged survival over the other mice," Freedland said.

Mice on the no-carbohydrate diet consumed more calories in order to keep body weights consistent with mice on the other study arms.

"We found that carbohydrate restriction without energy restriction, or weight loss, does indeed result in tumor growth delay," he said.

The researchers plan to begin recruiting prostate cancer patients at two sites, Duke and the University of California, Los Angeles, for a clinical trial to determine if restricting carbohydrate intake in patients with prostate cancer can similarly slow tumor growth. The trial should begin within a few weeks.

"It's very exciting, this is a potential new mechanism to fight prostate cancer growth and help patients live longer with their disease," Freedland said.

Related Articles


Body Mass Associated With Prostate Cancer Risk, Varies By Ethnicity Obesity is a known risk factor in some cancers, including colorectal cancer and breast cancer in post-menopausal women. However, the relationship between body size and

Metabolic Syndrome Significantly Associated With Breast Cancer Risk The increase in breast cancer incidence over recent decades has been accompanied by an increase in the frequency of metabolic syndrome. Several studies suggest that

Compounds in Processed Meats Linked to Increased Bladder Cancer Risk A new study suggests that consuming specific compounds in meat related to processing methods may be associated with an increased risk of developing bladder cancer. The

How Much Alcohol Increases Breast Cancer Risk? The results of the UK’s Million Women Study is questioning what many women thought they knew about alcohol consumption (AC). This major study links even

Mechanism Decoded Linking Olive Oil Protection Against Breast Cancer Researchers have decoded a complete cascade of signals within breast tumor cells activated by virgin olive oil, and concluded that benefits include decrease in the

References:
1. Stephen Freedland, et al. Duke University Medical Center.
2. National Cancer Institute.

Add comment

User Name (Required)

E-mail (Required - Never shown publicly)

Website (Optional)

Notify me of follow-up comments

If you cannot read the code click to refresh for a new code.

Add comment

Cancel