Cancer cells use oxygen very differently from healthy cells. Instead of relying primarily on efficient aerobic respiration, they depend heavily on anaerobic respiration specifically glycolysis to metabolise
glucose and generate energy for survival.
Cancer continues to be one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Despite major breakthroughs in treatment strategies, the precise mechanisms by which cancer originates and progresses at the cellular level remain incompletely understood.
Conventional treatment modalities such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery, while often unavoidable, still fall short in completely eradicating certain malignancies. In many cases, they are unable to fully halt disease progression and can cause significant systemic toxicity, leading to additional complications.
Dr Mandeep Singh Malhotra, co-founder, Art of Healing Cancer, explains we are now at a pivotal moment in cancer research, one that invites us to view the disease through a new lens.
Cancer as a Metabolic Disease
Emerging research increasingly suggests that cancer may not be driven by genetic mutations alone. Metabolic dysfunction is now being recognised as a key contributor to cancer development, alongside genetic aberrations. This shift in understanding has the potential to transform future cancer therapies.
“Cancer cells breathe differently,” explains Dr Malhotra.
Across various cancer types, researchers are observing a striking commonality: tumour cells generate energy in an abnormal way. Rather than using oxygen-dependent cellular respiration, cancer cells ferment glucose and glutamine, an amino acid naturally present in the body to fuel their rapid growth. This impaired energy metabolism may lie at the very heart of cancer formation.
Dr Thomas Seyfried, a leading advocate of the metabolic theory of cancer, has proposed that dysfunction of the mitochondria the powerhouse of the cell plays a more central role in cancer development than damage to the nucleus, where genetic material resides. In essence, it may be the cell’s “kitchen,” not its “library,” that dictates disease progression.
Can Starving Cancer Cells Be a Therapeutic Strategy?
Healthy human cells have the metabolic flexibility to use ketone bodies produced by the liver, as an alternative energy source when glucose availability is low. Cancer cells, however, lack this ability.
“If tumours depend on glucose and glutamine to survive, removing or restricting these fermentable fuels could theoretically starve cancer cells,” says Dr Mandeep Singh Malhotra. “In some cases, this may slow tumour growth or even cause regression.”
Conversely, chronically elevated blood glucose levels may accelerate disease progression, further highlighting the importance of metabolic regulation.
Growing evidence now supports the role of calorie-restricted and low-glycaemic dietary interventions in both cancer prevention and management. Therapeutic ketosis achieved through carbohydrate-restricted diets has shown promising results when used alongside standard treatments such as chemotherapy and surgery.
Dr Malhotra notes that in his own clinical practice, patients have experienced improved outcomes when conventional oncology treatments were complemented with personalised, low-glycaemic nutritional strategies.
Integrating Diet with Conventional Cancer Care
Standard cancer treatments, chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, work through cytotoxic mechanisms, directly targeting rapidly dividing cells. Dietary interventions and Indian traditional medicine, when used under expert supervision, may help weaken cancer cells’ resistance to these therapies while simultaneously reducing treatment-related side effects.
“A holistic approach doesn’t replace conventional care,” emphasises Dr Malhotra. “Instead, it supports the body, improves tolerance to treatment, and may enhance therapeutic response.”
While aggressive ketogenic diets may be considered in select late-stage cases under strict medical guidance, a moderately calorie-restricted and metabolically balanced diet can serve as a preventive strategy against cancer development.
Finding the Middle Path
Although cancer researchers may differ in theoretical frameworks, there is broad consensus that cancer is a multifactorial disease. Genetics, metabolism, environment, and lifestyle all contribute to the transformation of a healthy cell into a malignant one.
According to Dr Malhotra, the future of cancer care lies in integration, combining evidence-based conventional therapies with carefully designed dietary and traditional medicine approaches to reduce toxicity and improve outcomes.
Conventional treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery are irreplaceable and must always be continued under the guidance of a qualified medical practitioner.
