Carbohydrates and cancer: A metabolic and epidemiological overview.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review synthesizing mechanistic and epidemiological literature without systematic review methodology.
PubMed 41266024 · doi:10.1016/bs.accb.2025.10.003
What was done
This review synthesized experimental and epidemiological literature examining the links between dietary carbohydrates (simple sugars to complex fibers), glucose metabolism, insulin/IGF-1 signaling, and cancer biology. The scope included mechanistic pathways (Warburg effect, microenvironment acidity) and cancer prevention (primary, secondary, and tertiary) across colorectal, breast, prostate, and head and neck malignancies.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical findings, effect sizes, or quantitative risk estimates. It qualitatively describes links between hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, and inflammatory cytokines with increased tumor survival, proliferation, and metastasis, concluding that reducing carbohydrate intake and increasing dietary fiber are promising adjuncts in cancer prevention and survivorship.
Why it matters
It provides a consolidated metabolic and epidemiological overview supporting dietary modulation—specifically carbohydrate control and increased fiber—as adjunctive strategies in oncologic prevention and survivorship.
Limits
As a narrative review, it lacks a systematic literature search, formal risk-of-bias assessment, and quantitative synthesis. The abstract provides no primary data, effect sizes, or confidence intervals, and explicitly notes existing literature discrepancies and evidence gaps.
Cited by
- supports High sugar intake causes chronic hyperinsulinemia, which inhibits apoptosis in damaged or cancerous cells.