Scientists at the Institute for Cancer Research in the UK have found that the sugar mannose, which is used as a dietary supplement, can slow the growth of malignant tumors and enhance the effect of chemotherapy in mice suffering from various types of cancer. This was announced in a press release on EurekAlert !.
In the study, mannose was added to drinking water or given orally to rodents suffering from pancreatic, skin, or lung cancer. It turned out that sugar inhibits tumor growth and does not cause side effects. In the next part of the experiment, animals with tumors were treated with cisplatin and doxorubicin, two commonly used chemotherapy drugs. The result showed that sugar not only reduced the size of tumors, but even increased the lifespan of some mice.
Glucose is necessary for the growth of cancerous tissues, but mannose is able to block the entry of carbohydrates into malignant cells. However, it does not affect the ability to absorb glucose in normal tissues.
Mannose has also been tested in cell cultures of various types of cancer, including leukemia, osteosarcoma, ovarian and intestinal cancers. Some cells reacted to sugar, and some continued to divide and grow. According to the scientists, they plan to find out why mannose acts selectively, as well as whether it will be effective in treating cancer in humans.