Cancer cells consume glucose

Category : Colorectal Cancer | Sub Category : Colorectal Cancer Posted on 2025-06-30 20:47:09

Cancer cells consume glucose — the end product of carbohydrate metabolism — at a much faster rate than normal cells, which is why they often appear brightly on PET scans. Interestingly, one of the body’s responses to cancer is a loss of appetite. This raises a profound question: is appetite loss a biological defense mechanism attempting to slow tumor growth, or simply a merciful path to death, sparing the individual from the full range of painful and debilitating symptoms that cancer can bring?

Regardless of the cause, cancer tends to win the competition for nutritional resources. While healthy cells are starved, tumors continue to thrive. This imbalance is visible in signs like temporal wasting — the hollowing of the temples — a reliable marker of rapid weight loss. It reflects the body breaking down its own muscle tissue to produce glucose, which the tumor eagerly consumes.

Paradoxically, reducing carbohydrate intake does not effectively starve the cancer. Instead, it deprives the rest of the body of essential energy, worsening overall health while the tumor adapts and continues to grow.