Document Type
Journal Article
Publication Date
2017
Journal
Nutrition & Metabolism [electronic resource]
Volume
14
Inclusive Pages
19
DOI
10.1186/s12986-017-0178-2
Abstract
Background
A shift from respiration to fermentation is a common metabolic hallmark of cancer cells. As a result, glucose and glutamine become the prime fuels for driving the dysregulated growth of tumors. The simultaneous occurrence of “Press-Pulse” disturbances was considered the mechanism responsible for reduction of organic populations during prior evolutionary epochs. Press disturbances produce chronic stress, while pulse disturbances produce acute stress on populations. It was only when both disturbances coincide that population reduction occurred.
Methods
This general concept can be applied to the management of cancer by creating chronic metabolic stresses on tumor cell energy metabolism (press disturbance) that are coupled to a series of acute metabolic stressors that restrict glucose and glutamine availability while also stimulating cancer-specific oxidative stress (pulse disturbances). The elevation of non-fermentable ketone bodies protect normal cells from energy stress while further enhancing energy stress in tumor cells that lack the metabolic flexibility to use ketones as an efficient energy source. Mitochondrial abnormalities and genetic mutations make tumor cells vulnerable metabolic stress.
Results
The press-pulse therapeutic strategy for cancer management is illustrated with calorie restricted ketogenic diets (KD-R) used together with drugs and procedures that create both chronic and intermittent acute stress on tumor cell energy metabolism, while protecting and enhancing the energy metabolism of normal cells.
Conclusions
Optimization of dosing, timing, and scheduling of the press-pulse therapeutic strategy will facilitate the eradication of tumor cells with minimal patient toxicity. This therapeutic strategy can be used as a framework for the design of clinical trials for the non-toxic management of most cancers.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
APA Citation
Seyfried, T., Yu, G., Maroon, J., & D'Agostino, D. (2017). Press-pulse: a novel therapeutic strategy for the metabolic management of cancer. Nutrition & Metabolism [electronic resource], 14 (). http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12986-017-0178-2
Peer Reviewed
1
Open Access
1
Included in
Cancer Biology Commons, Molecular, Genetic, and Biochemical Nutrition Commons, Urology Commons
Comments
Reproduced with permission of BioMed Central Ltd. Nutrition & Metabolism