New York Times: Does sugar feed cancer?
Cancer Center expert says you can't 'starve a tumor'
Stacy Shawhan, an oncology dietitian at the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center, told the New York Times she's heard many questions over the years from her cancer patients about how their diets influence their prognosis.
One question has come up more than the rest: Will consuming sugary foods and drinks feed my cancer cells, making my condition worse?
“Cancer patients are so vulnerable, and some of them are terrified to eat,” said Shawhan. “They think, ‘If I stop eating sugar, then I can starve my cancer.’”
While experts say that diets high in added sugars may increase your risk of cancer over a lifetime, cutting out all sugars doesn’t actually fight existing tumors.
Read the full New York Times story.
Featured photo: spoon of sugar.
Related Stories
Taking a second look at surgery eligibility for patients with lung cancer who smoke
June 11, 2026
Researchers at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine have found that patients who continue to smoke ahead of lung cancer surgery have a higher risk of pulmonary complications, but their short-term mortality rate is similar to patients who were able to stop smoking before surgery.. Their findings were published recently in the Journal of. American College of Surgeons
Pocket-sized population threat
June 10, 2026
The Financial Times took a deep dive into why populations around the world continue to be on the decline. The publication cited new University of Cincinnati research as part of the investigation that looks at the fall of fertility in the digital era.
Patients with developmental disabilities may benefit with an integrated care model
June 9, 2026
Researchers from the University of Cincinnati and Ohio State University have found that adults with developmental disabilities who have integrated care were less likely to go to the emergency room or be hospitalized than others who were not. Their work was published in Disability and Health Journal.