Recently I was discussing with an oncologist the prognosis of an overweight patient whose cancer had returned. Our discussion concerned the role excess fat has on cancer cells and their growth. While it has been known for some time that the overweight condition predisposes to an increased risk for several forms of cancer, the exact mechanism is unknown. However, the oncologist whose research is studying cancer cell growth found that cancer cells need glucose for their metabolic growth, as do normal cells, but when the blood glucose drops normal cells can switch over to using the byproducts of fat metabolism, ketone bodies produced in the state of ketosis, as their main fuel. But cancer cells can’t make the switch and they run out their metabolic fuel and their growth slows down and they begin to starve. This doctor uses a very low carbohydrate diet to have the body turn to metabolizing its stored fat for energy and transition into a state of ketosis and produce ketone bodies. These ketones are a metabolic weapon to help slow and disrupt the growth of cancer cells. His research suggests that reducing the intake of refined sugars and carbohydrates and having the body burn fat to put the body into a state of mild ketosis may help to reduce the risks for developing cancer and also be used as a metabolic tool to thwart the growth and progression of cancer cells Yes, losing excess weight can help to prevent cancer. But since losing weight is hard and keeping it off is even harder, the weight loss process can be helped by the use the herbal products Attenuate and AttenuSlim. These metabolic tools have been clinically tested and medically proven to reduce appetite, decrease hunger, and help to curb and decrease the desire for refined sugars and carbohydrates. For more information on how you can lose excess fat, please go to: attenuatepro.com. Peter Vash, MD, MPH