The importance of glycemic load of the diet in the development of cancer

: Treatment of cancer involves not only appropriate pharmacological or psychological therapy and rehabilitation, but also diet aimed at prevention of the process of cachexia. Postprandial hyperglycemia exerts a significant effect on the growth and proliferation of tumor cells. It promotes formation of a number of metabolic changes in every tissue of the organism. Chronic postprandial hyperglycemia, occurring in type 2 diabetes, enhances all these changes. Although the results of epidemiological studies on the relationship between the overall risk of cancer development, or tumors in different parts of the organism, are heterogeneous, most of them indicate that the risk increases with an increase in glycemic load of the examined population's diets. Researchers also suggest a beneficial effect of limiting the amount of easily assimilable carbohydrate in the diet to stabilize the disease and for better tolerance of chemo or radiation therapy. However, further studies are required.