Art of Healing Cancer, one of the leading precision oncology setups in the country, is excited to present the latest findings on the science of metabolic therapy in treating cancer. This innovative approach alters cancer cells’ metabolism to target and inhibit their growth, offering a promising alternative to traditional cancer treatments. Dr. Mandeep Singh, Chief Mentor and Lead Oncologist at Art of Healing Cancer, shared his insights into the science behind this novel approach. “Cancer cells exhibit unique metabolic properties, such as their reliance on glucose for energy production, which can be exploited for therapeutic purposes. Metabolic therapy aims to modify the cellular environment to restrict cancer cells’ energy supply and promote apoptosis, or programmed cell death, while sparing healthy cells,” Dr. Singh said. Research into metabolic therapy has revealed promising results, with studies showing its potential to improve treatment efficacy, enhance the immune response, and reduce the side effects of conventional cancer therapies. Importantly, when metabolic therapy is used as an adjuvant to chemotherapy and immunotherapy, it can increase the effectiveness of conventional treatments by creating a synergistic effect.
Some key components of metabolic therapy include dietary interventions, such as ketogenic diets, fasting, and calorie restriction, as well as metabolic-targeting agents like 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2DG), which explicitly inhibits glucose metabolism in cancer cells. Cancer cells differ from healthy cells in their metabolism, relying primarily on glucose for energy through a process called glycolysis. This metabolic preference for glucose allows cancer cells to grow and proliferate rapidly. In addition to glucose, cancer cells can adapt to metabolize fats and various amino acids in response to the availability of nutrients in their environment. By targeting these unique metabolic pathways, metabolic therapy can disrupt the energy supply to cancer cells, ultimately inhibiting their growth and survival. Metabolic therapy, or “metabolinomics”, as it is being labelled now, is an effective treatment methodology. It is not recommended as uni-modality therapy, nor it is an alternative to standard cancer treatment such as chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, etc. The best utilization of metabolinomics lies with the standard cancer treatment; it definitely enhances the effect of chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiation & prevents recurrence after surgical excision. At AOHC, we have integrated genomics & precision oncology with metabolinomics. Precision techniques help us to understand the metabolic pathways active/suppressed in the particular cancer so that we can prescribe tailor-made metabolinomic interventions to suppress as well as control the malignant process.
Arpan Talwar, co-founder of Art of Healing Cancer, discussed the role of metabolic therapy in cancer treatment today. “Metabolic therapy represents a paradigm shift in the way we approach cancer treatment. Although it is still considered an emerging field, growing scientific evidence supports its potential as a complementary therapy in the fight against cancer. At Art of Healing Cancer, we are dedicated to raising awareness of such innovative approaches and helping patients access the latest research and holistic treatment options,” Talwar stated.