Cancer Diet: New Hope in Amino Acid Starvation

A revolutionary approach to cancer treatment is being tested, focusing on restricting dietary amino acids arginine and proline, which are abundant in protein-rich foods. Research in mice with neuroblastoma indicated that removing these compounds made tumors less aggressive. Combining this dietary change with a drug that suppresses polyamines, which cancer cells use to multiply, doubled survival rates in mice.

For adult patients, a drug called pegargiminase, which removes arginine from the blood, has shown promise. In a major trial for mesothelioma, adding this drug to standard chemotherapy extended survival and quadrupled three-year survival rates. This method targets cancers that rely on external arginine, leaving healthy cells unharmed.