Health Rounds: Artificial sweetener consumption linked to less effective cancer treatment
In patients with melanoma or non-small cell lung cancer, consuming high levels of the artificial sweetener sucralose contributes to diminished responses to immunotherapy and poorer survival, researchers reported in Cancer Discovery, opens new tab.
When the researchers had 132 patients with advanced melanoma or non-small cell lung cancer answer detailed diet history questionnaires, they found that high consumption of sucralose was linked with lower effectiveness of immunotherapies across a range of cancer types, stages and treatment methods.
In experiments with mice, the researchers found that sucralose shifts the composition of microbes in the intestines, increasing bacterial species that degrade arginine, an amino acid that is essential for key immune cells called T cells.
'When arginine levels were depleted due to sucralose-driven shifts in the microbiome, T cells couldn't function properly,' study leader Abby Overacre of the University of Pittsburgh said in a statement. 'As a result, immunotherapy wasn't as effective in mice that were fed sucralose.'
Laying the groundwork for a solution to the problem, the same researchers also found in the mice that supplements that boosted levels of arginine mitigated the negative effects of sucralose on immunotherapy, an approach they now hope to test in humans.
'It's easy to say, 'Stop drinking diet soda,' but when patients are being treated for cancer, they are already dealing with enough, so asking them to drastically alter their diet may not be realistic,' Overacre said.
'That's why it's so exciting that arginine supplementation could be a simple approach to counteract the negative effects of sucralose on immunotherapy.'
LOW-GRADE IS NOT THE SAME AS LOW-RISK IN PROSTATE CANCER
A low-grade prostate tumor is not necessarily low-risk, new research suggests.
Biopsy results showing low-grade prostate cancers can sometimes lead to underestimation of disease risk and omission of surgery or radiation in patients who might benefit from such treatments, researchers warned in JAMA Oncology, opens new tab.
Among roughly 117,000 men in their study with prostate biopsy results indicating a Grade Group 1, or GG1, tumor – the slowest-growing kind - one in six had intermediate- or high-risk cancer when other factors such as prostate-specific antigen levels in the blood and tumor sizes were also considered, according to the report.
Such higher risk cancers are often treated with radiation therapy or removal of the prostate, the researchers noted.
'We don't want to miss aggressive cancers that initially present as Grade Group 1 on biopsy,' study coauthor Dr. Bashir Al Hussein of Weill Cornell Medicine said in a statement. 'Such underestimation of risk could lead to undertreatment and poor outcomes.'
Current guidelines that advise regular monitoring – rather than treatment – for men with low-grade prostate tumors were based on studies that examined entire prostate glands after removal from patients.
Biopsies test only small areas of the prostate, so they can miss more advanced or aggressive cancer cells, providing an incomplete picture, the researchers said.
Some cancer experts have been suggesting recently that GG1 tumors are so slow-growing that they shouldn't even be considered malignant. The new study results could help inform those discussions, the researchers said.
'There is a misunderstanding that low grade and low risk are the same," study coauthor Dr. Jonathan Shoag of Case Western Reserve University said in a statement. "Here, we show clearly that they are not.'
(To receive the full newsletter in your inbox for free sign up here)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
43 minutes ago
- The Independent
The ancient spice that reduces bloating - and could boost weight loss
Curry lovers could be tucking into extra health benefits with their favorite dishes. Cumin, the versatile spice which gives dishes that warm, nutty, and earthy flavor, is rich in antioxidants and can help reduce the risk of disease and protect the body's cells. 'A diet high in antioxidants can help reduce the risk of heart disease and some other chronic diseases,' registered dietitian Nicole Hopsecger told the Cleveland Clinic. 'Of course, that goes hand-in-hand with making sure your diet is also high in other antioxidant sources, including fresh fruits, veggies, whole grains and legumes.' To reap those benefits, Hopsecger advises that people grind up cumin seeds, increasing the body's ability to absorb it. 'You also get more benefits from the vitamins and minerals it contains, such as B vitamins, vitamin E, iron and magnesium,' she explained. Iron makes a protein in red blood cells that helps carry oxygen through the body, boosts the immune system, and keeps hair healthy. Magnesium helps maintain muscle and nerve function, keeps bones strong, regulates blood sugar and protects immune health, according to MedlinePlus. Vitamin B is essential for metabolism and brain function. That's not all that cooking with cumin can do for you. One study found cumin extract helped people alleviate bloating and other symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. A separate review showed cumin extract had been found to improve liver function tests in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Cumin has been used for thousands of years, dating back to the dawn of written history, according to NPR. It was popular in ancient Mesopotamia and in the more than 4,000 years since then, its use has spread throughout the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and the Americas. "Once it has been introduced into a new land and culture, cumin has a way of insinuating itself deeply into the local cuisine, which is why it has become one of the most commonly used spices in the world," author Gary Nabhan writes in his book, 'Cumin, Camels, and Caravans.' Any amount is generally safe to use when cooking, but people may want to be careful with supplements, Hopsecger advised. Previous research has also found that cumin could help with weight loss. One study claimed it help people to lose weight similar to an over-the-counter oral weight loss drug known as Orlistat. Another study, assessing the effects of cumin and lime, found 'beneficial effects on weight' for participants who were overweight. A third study showed cholesterol levels improve after people took just three grams of cumin powder a day for three months. But the dietician noted that more research is needed to make a solid connection. 'There's not enough research to support them,' Hopsecge said. 'In the few studies that do, there are likely other factors going on in addition to the cumin supplement, such as increased motivation or lifestyle changes.'
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
A $2.5 billion pledge makes women's health a priority in Gates Foundation spend-down
Innovations on the horizon in women's health show what's possible with more investment. With the help of ultrasound equipment powered by artificial intelligence, frontline health care workers may be able to track the progress of developing embryos with a minimum of training. And birth control injections that last six months could give women more control over reproduction. Those are just two potential breakthroughs out of more than 40 the Gates Foundation intends to support through a five-year, $2.5 billion commitment on women's health research and development, more than triple the amount it has spent on women's health innovation over the past five years. 'Many of the most pressing conditions impacting women still remain understudied, underdiagnosed, and overlooked,' said Ru-fong Joanne Cheng, director of Women's Health Innovations at Gates. A very small share of medical research funding supports the study of health specific to women, including gynecological and menstrual health, obstetric care, contraceptive innovation, sexually transmitted infections, and maternal health and nutrition, the foundation said. It cited a 2021 McKinsey and Company study that found 1% of all medical research, setting aside cancer research, goes toward women's health. The foundation framed the commitment as part of its May announcement that it would spend down its assets over the next 20 years and concentrate much of its support on global health. While much of the research funded over the next five years will benefit women worldwide, the foundation said, the need is most acute in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. By devoting billions to women's health, the foundation has signaled it intends to continue to invest in the cause following the 2024 departure of Melinda French Gates, who led the foundation's support of girls' and women's health. Since her divorce from Bill Gates, French Gates has committed more than $1 billion to improve women's physical and mental health, provide more economic opportunity to women, and increase their political sway. The announcement follows a U.S. pullback of support for global maternal health programs during the first seven months of the Trump administration. The shuttering of the U.S. Agency for International Development and program reductions at the Centers for Disease Control have sunset programs focused on women's health. According to a March internal USAID memo, the agency's closure will stop services for 16.8 million pregnant women annually. In April, the World Health Organization said that the 40 percent decline in maternal deaths from 2000 to 2023 has been put at risk because of aid cuts. 'We need both innovation and delivery' While the foundation continues to focus on the delivery of health care globally in an era of governmental retreat, the $2.5 billion will focus squarely on research needed to save lives, Anita Zaidi, president of Gates's Gender Equality Division, said on a press call Monday to discuss the announcement. 'This is an innovation-focused announcement,' she said. 'We need both innovation and delivery.' It's important to remember that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has only been required to test novel drugs on women in clinical trials since 1993, and many tests are still only done on men, said Katy Brodsky Falco, founder of the Foundation for Women's Health, which plans to make $5 million in research grants this year. With Gates getting behind research and development of women's health with such a large commitment, others may follow, Brodsky Falco said. 'Hopefully it will bring the issue to the top of the conversation among private donors and family foundations, even if they otherwise haven't supported this type of work,' she said. Moses Obimbo Madadi, professor at the University of Nairobi, noted that postpartum hemorrhaging causes about 3,000 deaths annually in Kenya. If men were the victims, he said, a G7 conference would be called to find a solution, but research on the subject has largely been ignored because it claims the lives of women. 'We've treated this as a peripheral issue other than making it a centerpiece of our research,' he said, calling the Gates commitment a 'very good starting point.' _____ Alex Daniels is a senior reporter at the Chronicle of Philanthropy, where you can read the full article. This article was provided to The Associated Press by the Chronicle of Philanthropy as part of a partnership to cover philanthropy and nonprofits supported by the Lilly Endowment. The Chronicle is solely responsible for the content. For all of AP's philanthropy coverage, visit
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
General Matter signs lease with US energy department to enrich uranium
Aug 5 (Reuters) - General Matter, a U.S. startup hoping to enrich uranium for fueling nuclear reactors, signed a lease with the Department of Energy on Tuesday to build a facility at a former federal plant in Kentucky. The $1.5-billion project will be at the former Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant. The U.S. built the site in the 1950s to produce enriched uranium, initially for nuclear weapons. The facility later produced enriched uranium for nuclear reactors, but closed in 2013. Construction is expected to begin in 2026, with operations planned for 2034, the DOE said. The plant is expected to create about 140 permanent jobs, the company said. General Matter CEO Scott Nolan said reactivating the site would "power a new era of American energy independence." General Matter held a ceremony in Paducah attended by Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, U.S. senators and representatives, and DOE officials. The company did not say how much enriched uranium it will produce. While UK-based Urenco has the capacity to supply about a third of U.S. commercial reactor needs of enriched uranium from a plant in New Mexico that is expanding, the U.S. is heavily dependent on foreign suppliers, including Russia. Former President Joe Biden put a ban on Russian enriched uranium imports that allows waivers until 2028. General Matter is one of several companies that have received DOE grants to produce both low-enriched uranium, or LEU, and a special fuel called high-assay low-enriched uranium, or HALEU. The companies need to get licenses from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. HALEU could be used in high-tech reactors that plan to start operating around 2030. General Matter did not reveal the technology it plans to use to enrich uranium, nor the funding of the project. It said this year it was "incubated within" Founders Fund, a venture capital fund, in which Nolan is a partner. The DOE said the lease provides General Matter with at least 7,600 cylinders of uranium hexafluoride to supply fuel that can be enriched into reactor fuel. The process will save Americans about $800 million in avoided disposal costs, the DOE said. Global Laser Enrichment, a company owned by Silex Systems ( opens new tab and Cameco ( opens new tab that is one of six that won initial U.S. contracts to produce domestic uranium fuel, also plans to enrich uranium in Paducah. It plans to use lasers to enrich rather than centrifuges. "From a standpoint of technology readiness, from the regulatory timeline, no one's going to get an NRC license quicker than us," Nima Ashkeboussi, GLE vice president of government relations, said in an interview. GLE plans to enrich tailings, or waste byproducts left over from the DOE's enrichment programs. General Matter said the "vast majority" of the uranium it will enrich will be from domestic sources. The DOE is reserving tailings for it to enrich in the event of supply shortages, it said.
