Cancer: A Metabolic Disease

There exist basically two distinct perspectives around the question, ‘What causes cancer?’

Generally speaking, our present medical system believes cancer to be a genetic disease with mutations in the nuclear DNA, while alternative points of view, backed with decades of massive research, consider the origins of cancer to be a deficit in mitochondrial energy metabolism, mitochondria being the powerhouse which drives the function of almost all our cells.

With most of cancer research focused on the gene theory of cancer, how is it that we are not winning the cancer war?

This disease has been under constant investigation by major pharmaceutical companies since President Nixon declared this war in 1971.

In 2002, 555,500 people died of cancer, and, according to the American Cancer Society, 569,490 died of cancer in 2010. And this does not take into account those dying a few years later due to complications from chemotherapy and radiation, which are not included in these statistics.

Often it is not cancer which killed the patient but the toxic substances used to ‘treat’ the cancer which led to various organ failures.

Even with radiation, which is touted to kill cancer cells, damage to nearby healthy cells is enough to transform them into cancer cells, and the tumor cells that do survive the radiation may grow back, even more aggressive and less manageable than they were before.

Dr. Thomas Seyfried

The prominent alternative point of view, of cancer originating from a defect in mitochondrial energy metabolism, has been supported and elaborated by the research of Dr. Seyfried.

His book, Cancer as a Metabolic Disease, offers a historical account of cancer research from the time of Otto Warburg in the 1930’s to the present.

To summarize, cancer cells do not behave like normal cells.

Normal cells having healthy mitochondria produce energy, or ATP, to drive the function of the cell through sophisticated cycles referred to as glycolysis, the TCA cycle, Krebs Cycle and oxidative phosphorylation.

This healthy cell receives oxygen and glucose to perform, but can also utilize ketone bodies when glucose is less available.

Cancer cells, on the other hand, because of damage to their mitochondria, can only utilize oxygen and glucose, but cannot utilize ketone bodies to make energy. If cancer cells were completely restricted from glucose they would die.

This is not true for healthy cells because they can use ketones to make energy.

The primary point of Seyfried’s book and his research, which contradicts the present medical genetic model of causation, is that most genetic defects found in cancer cell lines arise not due to genetic familial weakness, but because of defective energy production in the mitochondria.

And no matter the type of cancer, they all share a fundamental underlying characteristic, abnormal energy metabolism.

The question then is, ‘What are the causes of this lowered energy production or metabolism in the mitochondria, sometimes referred to as mitochondrial dysfunction?’

Prolonged exposure to hundreds of possible carcinogens
High energy radiation
Viruses
Bacteria
Mold
Any cause of inflammation
And many, many others

Warburg’s Theory of Cancer

A defining characteristic of most tumors is elevated glucose uptake and lactic acid production.

We know cancer cells have an increased uptake of glucose because we use this for tumor imaging using labeled glucose analogs. Using positron emission tomography (PET), radio-labeled glucose is increased in tumor tissue. All tumors depend heavily on glucose for survival.

Warburg considered oxidative phosphorylation injury to be the origin of cancer. OxPhos takes place in mitochondria, and is the final stage of cellular respiration involving multiple reactions where the energy contained in food molecules is captured and conserved in ATP.

Altered mitochondrial function (dysfunction) with numerous protein defects in the DNA nucleus, and increased utilization of glucose for energy, are hallmarks of many proliferating tumors.

Cancer: Genetics (Nucleus) or Mitochondria

In a cancer cell we have DNA in the nucleus, with various signs of abnormal genetic makeup, and we have mitochondria which are dysfunctional, and not producing optimal energy or ATP.

Several research experiments were done, trying to understand, is it the nuclear DNA which have caused the cell to become cancerous, or is it abnormal mitochondria function?

Research has proved the primary underlying development of cancer relates to the mitochondria and not the DNA.

The nucleus of a cancer cell was transplanted into a healthy cell, and this cell did not become cancerous.

The mitochondria of a cancer cell was transplanted into a healthy cell, and this cell became cancerous.

This certainly debunks chemotherapy which is directed towards the genetics of cancer cells.

Cancer Metastasis

Systemic metastasis is the single-most serious aspect of cancer and is largely responsible for the majority of cancer deaths.

Tumor cell invasion of surrounding tissues and its spread to distant organs is the primary cause of morbidity and mortality in most cancer patients. The phenomenon is referred to as metastasis.

Metastasis is responsible for about 90% of cancer deaths. Cancer cells detach from the primary tumor and travel through blood and lymphatic fluids, while evading immune attack, to invade and proliferate in distant organs.

Macrophages, one type of white blood cell, have the ability to migrate, to change shape, to eat or phagocytize cellular debris and abnormal cells including malignant cancer cells, and to secrete growth factors and cytokines.

One type of macrophage, M2, fuse with tumor cells and become facilitators of metastasis. This fusion is accelerated with inflammation and radiation.

When macrophages merge with cancer cells, they inherit macrophage qualities and this hybrid can then behave as a macrophage, to enter into the blood and lymph circulation to secure itself in preferential tissues and organs such as the lungs, liver and bone marrow, or any tissue which is inflamed.

Research is showing that metastatic cancer is a macrophage metabolic disease.

Inflammation & Cancer

Mahin Khatami’s Article on delayed hypersensitivity and histamine was published in Translational Medicine Journal, and stated the following;

‘Such constructive efforts toward solving the cancer mystery have not been possible by the reductionist and chaotic approaches to research that the current powerful cancer establishment chose to direct for a century.’

‘The ongoing misunderstanding and misinformation regarding the role of inflammation has been tremendously costly as millions of lives are lost to cancer because of wrong approaches to cancer therapy that include recent reductionist approaches to immunotherapy that repeatedly failed patients. This author believes that pretending and claiming that we are winning the war on cancer is worse than admitting that we are not.’

Inflammation has long been linked to carcinogenesis, partly due to protracted mitochondrial damage.

As physicians treating cancer we must focus our investigations on discovering the underlying causes of increased inflammation.

In this investigative process, while searching, we can incorporate anti-histamine therapies, some of which are natural, such as quercetin and various herbs to interrupt or minimize this catalyst of cancer progression.

I would not be surprised if Mast Cell Activation Syndrome is one part of the cancer puzzle.

Angiogenesis

Prognosis is generally better when tumors are less vascular than for those that are more vascular.

Angiogenesis is the proliferation of blood vessels surrounding a tumor. Growth factors secreted by tumor cells, IGF-1 and VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor), increase angiogenesis in order to receive more glucose, nutrients and blood.

But these newly formed blood vessels express leakiness, fragility and immaturity, and what leaks out from these weak blood vessels increases inflammation, a contributing factor for developing and promoting cancer.

Inflammation also attracts immune cell macrophages, with an increase in risk of metastasis.

One benefit of ketones is an increase in the capillary density of these newborn blood vessels by enhancing the expression of ‘alpha-smooth muscle actin’ to improve the integrity of these young blood vessels, to lower leakiness and therefore inflammation.

Lipids

Mitochondrial dysfunction, one primary cause of abnormal cell growth, also relates to lipidomic (total lipid content) abnormalities of the mitochondrial membranes, both inner and outer.

Besides phosphatidyl choline, ethanolamine and serine, cardiolipin plays an important role.

Seyfried, after much research, proposes that abnormalities in the content and composition of these lipid membranes arise from either inherited cancer risk factors or from numerous environmental risk factors including inflammation, viruses, hypoxia (low oxygen levels), radiation and others.

One of the best nutrients to support cardiolipin production is DHA, or Docosahexaenoic Acid, found in various foods including certain algae, fatty fish such as anchovies, salmon, herring, mackerel, tuna and halibut, and eggs if free range.

Ketones & Nutrition

To keep it simple, the dietary approach to reducing cancer cells is to not feed them while maintaining the health of normal cells.

Remember, the primary ‘food’ which cancer cells need to thrive is glucose.

Getting your body into ketosis while reducing your calorie intake is the key. Getting into ketosis is not enough. It will not help to reverse your condition. You must simultaneously reduce your calorie intake.

Go to Calculator.net and use their calorie calculator which takes into account your age, height, weight and physical activity.

You will see the number of calories you need to maintain your present weight. Reduce the number of calories by at least 25%.

Again, ketones are a fuel which normal cells can thrive on, to increase their cellular energy metabolism.

Ketones rise as blood glucose declines.

As glucose levels fall, tumor size, weight and growth rates fall.

The most rapid way of getting into ketosis is by drinking only water for 2-3 days.

Then, using a glucose/ketone meter to measure both of these is done through a simple finger prick of blood. There are several meters to choose from on Amazon.

Parameters for halting tumor growth are glucose between 55-65 mg/dl and blood ketones between 3-5 mM.

Once you are in ketosis you then measure both again, about 2 hours after eating a meal. You should be eating according to a ketogenic diet, but some people may need to be more selective since some keto foods may cause some people to go out of ketosis.

Find a baseline, a list of foods you’ve eaten that, according to the meter, have kept you in ketosis.

You can try adding more variety to your meals and checking 2 hours later to see if either your glucose or ketones have swung the wrong way.

Keep a diet diary and log your readings.

The ketone diet can have a diuretic effect and best to be watchful if you are taking a diuretic prescription. You may need to discontinue it.

One note about the water fast. Some people feel perfectly fine, with greater energy and mental clarity.

But some get headaches, nausea and fatigue.

Seyfried thinks this is due to a sugar addiction, and the body trying to come off of sugar is the reason for these symptoms.

I believer there is a better explanation.

Environmental toxins, biotoxins from pathogens and drug residues are compartmentalized inside our cells, especially fat cells. The body’s intelligence is shunting these toxins out of the blood to protect other vitals cells and organs such as the brain and the reproductive organs. It is a survival mechanism.

When we drink only water, the body’s response is to liberate free fatty acids from fat cells and stored glycogen in liver cells and muscle.

This will liberate stored toxins.

Also, as cells start burning ketones, mitochondrial production of ATP or energy increases and the cell is much more efficient with actively transporting toxins from inside cell, through the cell membrane and into the external environment.

These liberated toxins then travel through the blood and lymph, triggering physical and mental symptoms.

The water fast is an excellent means of detoxification, but there must be some preparation to facilitate the excretion of these toxins.

This includes liver and kidney support, lymph drainage and binders for the gut in order to absorb toxins filtered by the liver, so they are not recycling over and over again from the gut into the body.

Other Considerations

It is important to supplement when on the keto diet.

We want to ensure a full range of nutrients are provided to nourish healthy mitochondria. The best supplement we know of is Mitocore.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is another great alternative. To maximize the benefits it’s extremely important to be in ketosis.

Remember, inflammation is one precipitation factor for developing cancer.

A physician must investigate the location or causes of this inflammation.

If you have any root canals, this could be the source of inflammation.

Some IV therapies can be very useful especially if there is inflammation and pathogens.

IV therapies can include Ozone, the UBI (Ultraviolet Blood Therapy), Alpha Lipoic Acid, Phosphatidyl Choline and Vitamin C.

Detoxification therapies are useful. These include saunas, lymphatic drainage and colon hydrotherapy.

If you would like more information about our approach to cancer, or would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Haskell, please call our clinic.