541-323-3833What Feeds Cancer: A Closer Look at Fats and the Ketogenic Diet
Many of my patients ask questions about cancer as a metabolic disease. Perhaps you’ve read that “sugar feeds cancer”, or have learned of the Warburg effect. In the next few newsletters, I’ll be digging deeper into the complex story of cancer as a metabolic disease. Some of my colleagues recommend a ketogenic diet for cancer patients. They reason that if cancer cells eat sugar, then feeding protein and fat might be a better choice. The ketogenic diet is mostly fat with moderate protein and very little sugar and starch. It’s tough to follow, and it can be...
Read MoreA Breast That May Not Need Surgery?
It seems perfect to celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness Month with news about a breast condition that may benefit from more awareness — and less treatment. The time may have come to start treating some DCIS like early prostate cancer — watching and waiting instead of treating. Some women with low grade DCIS and low risk tumor genomes may not need surgery. A 23-year retrospective study of 57,222 women found that surgery on low grade DCIS did not save lives from breast cancer. Instead, these women could be managed with watchful waiting (also called active surveillance). Who does this...
Read MoreTarget BRCA & Cancer-Causing Genes
While the commonness of the BRCA gene has stayed stable for generations, the number of BRCA-caused cancers continues to rise. Why? Because diet and lifestyle guide the expression of the BRCA gene. What does the BRCA gene do? BRCA is an “off switch” for damaged cells, which scientists call a tumor suppressor gene. Our bodies make cancer cells all the time. Tumor suppressor genes tag these damaged cells for destruction before a cell can multiply and become a cancer. I’m a man. Why should I care? BRCA is one of many tumor suppressor genes. P53 is another, and is mutated in...
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