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Wednesday, 3 July 2013

The Hunger For Amino Acids & The Subject Of Cancer Research

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By Rob Sutter


It's tough to look at cancer research and figure out where the specific origins of the condition rest. Some believe that it was genetic while others could make the assumption that it has more to do with the environment than anything else. Whatever the case may be, it is apparent that there are certain triggers which can build upon the condition which is had. After looking at one report in particular, it seems like amino acids hold more of a role than we ever would have thought.

The report in question was posted on Science Daily and it talked about how a particular enzyme which breaks down amino acids may be the one to pinpoint. This was uncovered after attempts were made to build upon therapies and it seems like this finding has some merit to it. After all, tumors need high amounts of energy in order to build, therefore making them more aggressive. It appears as though these amino acids may be able to grant the kind of fuel which is required.

I believe that tumors, while fueled by amino acids, cannot look at these as the only source. For example, sugar is consumed regularly and in the body, it makes the transformation into glucose. This is utilized in order to keep the brain operational and every part of it is nourished, which means that the tumors are entailed too. You can make the argument that the ketogenic diet can help patients, though, since it has more of an emphasis on good fats as opposed to sugar sources.

What caught my attention in the article was the mentioning of isocitrate dehydrogenase, which is an enzyme in amino acids. Basically, cancer research has shown that patients with this enzyme have exhibited mutations within it. It seems to be most prevalent in glioblastoma, the most common tumor type seen, which is a fact supported by authorities such as Voices Against Brain Cancer. Seeing as how this field has so much attention placed on it by both the general public and authorities who understand it extensively, I believe that therapies will become better.

I, for one, am always open to reading stories involving cancer research since it seems like we find out something new each day. Today, it was a matter of me reading up on amino acids and how the breakdown of them can cause tumors to become more aggressive. What does this mean for the future, you may wonder? I can only hope that it plays into said future in such a way that we will be able to see even more therapies constructed over the course of time.




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