Why cancer cells waste so much energy

Re:Why cancer cells waste so much energy by blakesterz on Friday January 15, 2021 @08:53AM (#25790935)

"The findings suggest that drugs that force cancer cells to switch back to aerobic respiration instead of fermentation could offer a possible way to treat tumors. Drugs that inhibit NAD+ production could also have a beneficial effect, the researchers say."

And hopefully that's a path to follow that will help treat/cure some types of cance? This all just barely makes sense to me, but my first question was "Does this help beat cancer in a new way?" and I guess the answer is... maybe?

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Re:Why cancer cells waste so much energy by majkinetor on Friday January 15, 2021 @09:04AM (#25791029)

Or maybe not because cancer cells do not exist in vacuum but are part of the body.

You will force your own cells to do so: red blood cells, certain immune cells etc.

We already do something along those lines - reducing sugar input via diet and sugar neogensis via metformin.

Be all that as it may, the finding is astounding.

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Re:Why cancer cells waste so much energy by ben_w on Friday January 15, 2021 @08:57AM (#25790967)

Article also says that other cells using this process include immune cells, so I wouldn’t be on this being a silver bullet.

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Re:Why cancer cells waste so much energy by segfaultbuserr on Friday January 15, 2021 @08:57AM (#25790968)

It is a basic research question - it doesn't produce directly usable results, but the better understanding may be helpful in the long run.

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Re:Why cancer cells waste so much energy by loceng on Friday January 15, 2021 @08:56AM (#25790953)

It sounds like there's speculation that yes it potentially could, in theory, but it needs to be tested.

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