Written by Keith Bishop, Clinical Nutritionist, Cancer Coach, and Retired Pharmacist.
Cancer cells are notorious for their rapid growth and proliferation. They rely heavily on specific nutrients, particularly L-glutamine and glucose, to sustain this. These cells undergo metabolic reprogramming, consuming large amounts of glutamine to produce amino acids, nucleotides, and fatty acids essential for survival and growth.[i] This phenomenon, often referred to as "glutamine addiction," makes glutamine metabolism a critical target for cancer therapy.[ii]
Researchers are exploring various strategies to exploit this dependency. By targeting glutamine transporters and enzymes involved in its metabolism, they aim to disrupt the supply of this vital nutrient to cancer cells, thereby inhibiting their growth and inducing cell death.[iii] This approach holds promise for developing new cancer...