Cancer as a Metabolic Disease: On the Origin, Management, and Prevention of Cancer 1st Edition

Dr. Seyfried provides compelling evidence that cancer is a metabolic disease (NOT a genetic disease), and this has major implications for the treatment and prevention of cancer.According to Otto Warburg's theory of cancer, mitochondrial dysfunction is the origin of cancer. Dr. Seyfried has amassed extensive evidence to support Warburg's theory and advances the idea that cancer arises from defects in energy metabolism (mitochondrial dysfunction), and that this metabolic dysfunction triggers genomic instability, activates oncogenes and inactivating tumor suppressor genes. The author does an incredible job at convincing the reader that healthy mitochondria are the ultimate tumor suppressor.It's clear that the strategy to treat cancer as a genetic disease is not working following metastasis of solid primary tumors, but this fuels the pharmaceutical industry. Enormous amounts of money are spent on large cancer genome projects, but this has not advanced our understanding or treatment of cancer as expected. The cancer genome project has actually created more confusion amongst cancer researchers, and this is very clear if one reads the literature. On the other hand, when cancer is viewed as a metabolic disease the strategies to treat and prevent cancer become incredibly simplistic and economical. For example, animals studies, case reports and anecdotal evidence demonstrate that metabolic therapies that lower blood glucose and elevate ketones will quickly reduce tumor growth, extend lifespan and in some cases cause complete remission. This strategy is effective because cancer cells are fueled by glucose and lack the ability to derive energy from ketones due to mitochondrial defects. Metabolic therapies exploit the mitochondrial defects associated with cancer by targeting glucose metabolism, reducing insulin and elevating ketones. These therapies are simple and include "therapeutic fasting", calorie restricted ketogenic diets and relatively cheap and safe drugs that target glycolysis, insulin and other cancer-specific metabolic pathways. The information in this book is valuable to patients and supported by extensive references. This book is technical (in parts), but the author has the ability to describe complicated processes with elegant simplicity.I read this book immediately after reading "The Secret History of the War on Cancer" and "The Emperor of All Maladies". These are excellent books, but I found Dr. Seyfried's book to be more informative and empowering because it gives the reader clear evidence for the cause of cancer and highly effective strategies to prevent and treat the disease.I would recommend this book to all cancer researchers, oncologists and layman interested in understanding the origin, management and treatment of cancer as a metabolic disease. This book will also be an extremely valuable resource for patients diagnosed with cancer.Dominic D'Agostino, PhD, University of South Florida

Cancer is an illness that directly or indirectly affects most people at one time or another. Thus, my interest in this book was motivated by a desire to learn more about recent advances in the treatment of the disease and the success that has been achieved especially in recent years with the well chronicled revolution in “precision medicine” and its underlying application of gene therapy. However, I was stunned and somewhat disheartened to learn of the slow rate of progress in the treatment of cancer in spite of the monumental financial investment and the efforts of so many scientists and other professionals in universities, medical schools, and in the pharmaceutical industry.As so powerfully and effectively described by the author of this book, slow progress in the “war on cancer” lies not only in the complexity of the disease itself, but also, and perhaps more importantly, on the non-universal recognition of some of the most basic and fundamental aspects of the cause of cancer. The author takes the position that cancer is a metabolic disease, following up on the pioneering research of Nobel laureate, Dr. Otto Warburg. Seyfried’s review of the Warburg’s work is clear and compelling, even to a non-specialist, although a web search from time to time is helpful to fully grasp some of the more sophisticated concepts in biology. The presentation and review of the author’s research as well as that of many other leading scientists provides a logical and clearly written account of the impressive body of data that continue to give validity to the “Warburg theory”. Accordingly, metabolic processes in normal and abnormal (cancerous) cells are compared with an emphasis on realistic models based largely on animal studies. Supporting data are illustrated by figures and images that convincingly implicate metabolic dysfunction and respiratory insufficiency as the essential cause of cancer. Importantly, Seyfried then makes the strong case that it is the metabolic dysfunction that induces gene modification, now commonly recognized in virtually all cancers. The important take home message, however, is that it is the metabolic dysfunction of the cell that drives genetic modifications-not the other way around. This is profoundly important with far reaching implications, especially for the management and prevention of cancer. Indeed, in light of these results, it is a mystery to this reviewer why there is presently such universal focus on the genome in the development of drugs to treat what appears to be a metabolic disease. This seems to be a case of the tail wagging the dog, which would be OK, if the stakes were not so high for so many.The last four to five chapters of the book emphasize the broader aspects of metabolic dysfunction in cancer and how an appreciation of this can lead to more humane treatments than presently is the case. The so-called “standard of care” overwhelmingly used at present emphasizes the application of poisonous drugs and toxic doses of radiation, which, as noted by the author, often engenders in patients a fear that rivals that of the disease itself. In chapter 20 the author details the beneficial and therapeutic effects in cancer treatment of the ketogenic diet that takes full advantage of strategies logically linked to the scientific principals developed throughout the book.I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in the origin and treatment of cancer. It is a challenging book, but one that rewards the reader with knowledge and contemplation about one of the great plagues in modern society with every turn of the page.

Thoroughly enjoying and engaging. We are applying his ideas to our lifestyle. The writing is clear, the organization excellent. It is more than worth the price. It is a deep dive and yet accessible. The scientist is thorough, exciting, changeing ideas. Making a real difference and deserving awards. Amazing I cannot say enough in praise.