REFINED FRUCTOSE AND CANCER
Abstract http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21623683) INTRODUCTION: Caloric excess, including increased refined carbohydrate intake, is associated with higher cancer risk emphasizing the importance of improved understanding of cancer cell metabolism in tumor survival and metastasis. AREAS COVERED: This article reviews the relationship between increased dietary refined sugar and cancer risk, with specific emphasis on the monosaccharide fructose. Cancer cell metabolism is reviewed, and the potential mechanisms by which dietary sugars contribute to the tumor microenvironment are discussed. Recent observations indicate that cancer cells readily utilize fructose to support proliferation and preferentially use fructose for nucleic acid synthesis. This review discusses...