Could a spoonful of sugar help treat malignant cancer?
A recent study published in eLife is the latest to suggest that mannose, or D-mannose, a natural sugar lethal to honeybees and abundant in many fruits, starves human cancer cells by blocking their ability to build DNA and grow.
New (Sweet) Way to Combat Cancer
In recent years, mannose’s anti-cancer properties have garnered much attention from researchers. Several studies have shown that mannose can inhibit the growth of various cancers, including lung, colorectal, and prostate cancer. The mechanism of action isn’t yet fully understood but is thought to involve the disruption of glycosylation processes in cancer cells, which impairs cell growth and DNA synthesis. The following are some of the cancers that mannose has been shown to fight:- Lung cancer: An animal study published in Cancer Management and Research in 2020 found that mannose slowed lung cancer tumor growth and helped make chemotherapy more effective at fighting the disease. “Mannose could probably solve the problem of drug resistance during chemotherapy,” the study authors wrote.
- Prostate cancer: Research from 2022 found that mannose can retard growth and stimulate cell death of prostate cancer in mice through its effect on the mitochondria of these cancer cells.
- Colorectal cancer: A 2022 study found that mannose can halt tumor growth in mice with colorectal cancer.
Possible Role in Preventing Cancer
While the exact mechanisms are still being unraveled, some scientists hypothesize that mannose may also help prevent cancer by supporting healthy cells in the following ways:- Activating the immune system: Mannose has been suggested to enhance the activity of immune cells, particularly macrophages, which play a role in identifying and eliminating cancer cells.
- Reducing inflammation: Chronic inflammation is associated with an increased risk of cancer. Mannose may have anti-inflammatory properties that could help reduce chronic inflammation.
- Inhibiting tumor growth: One 2021 study suggested that mannose can hinder the growth of tumors by interfering with specific metabolic pathways that cancer cells rely on for energy.
- Disrupting glycosylation: Mannose is involved in glycosylation, a process through which sugar molecules are added to proteins. Some cancer cells exhibit abnormal glycosylation patterns. The theory is that mannose supplementation may interfere with this abnormal glycosylation, inhibiting the growth and spread of cancer cells.
