On 2/7/2007
Topher wrote:
On 1/1/2007
Patricia1 wrote:
Does anyone out there know if nutrition or supplements make any difference when you have a brain tumor?
Thank you
Pat
Hi Patricia.
No concrete evidence has shown that certain supplements or dietaryc changes affect changes in brain tumors. The biggest problem is in what is known as the BBB (Blood Brain Barrier). It is the groups of vessels that surround the brain that can expand and contract (like a fine mesh), to let in only certain nutrients and molecules. Because of the size of most molecules, many can't get through--and with good reason. Most food is turned into a protein called ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate). It's basically the fuel for cells. Glucose is also a fuel that is broken down by the body and stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen. Crazy thing is, is that the brain uses about 70% of the available blood glucose Glycogen that's been coverted to glucose to flow through the blood; glucose is more effective)--that's why people get woozy if the exercise too hard without eating well. There are vitamins essential to nerve function, such as B1 and B12, and minerals such as magnesium. These feed mostly the nerves outside the brain. But, the problem with cancerous tumors, is that they take up enormous amounts of fuel as well--they even grow their own vessels to reach out for more! What pigs! So, therein lies the problem . . . how to basically "starve" the tumors when vitamins and good eating habits enhance brain function. Kind of a catch 22. There has been research showing that a diet that in creases oxidative stress (free radicals) can cause more apoptosis (programmed cell death) in tumors. But, this has only been shwon in mice, and not a big enough control group has been used yet. Eating well, staying fit and reducing stress can have some modest effects. So far, the best hope are therapies called TNT (tumor necrosis therapy) that uses cells called monoclonal antibodies to deliver deadly drugs to the tumors--and not healthy tissue--because they can bridge the blood brain barrier.
I hope this helps a little.
-Take care, good luck and keep researching.
-Christopher
Christopher
Thank you so much for your message. I did help and make a lot of sense to me. I have been trying to find out about nutrition and brain tumors for a long time now. My husband has a stage 4 GBM and was diagosed 13 months ago and is still working and doing pretty well. I'm getting more nervous all the time though, as I know the statistics. Are you a doctor?
Thanks again
Pat