Popular sugar substitute found to be a barrier in cancer treatment

Scientists discover: popular sweetener may interfere with cancer treatment

Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and Hillman Cancer Center have made a troubling discovery: sucralose, a widely used sweetener, can significantly reduce the effectiveness of immunotherapy in cancer treatment. The research results were published in the prestigious scientific journal Cancer Discovery.

Observation of 132 patients with melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer revealed a disturbing pattern. Patients who regularly consumed products with sucralose (diet sodas, coffee with sweetener) showed poorer effectiveness of immunotherapy drugs and reduced life expectancy. The mechanism behind this phenomenon is related to disruption of the gut microbiome, which leads to decreased levels of arginine – an amino acid critically important for the normal functioning of T-cells in the immune system.

Laboratory experiments on mice confirmed these observations: adding sucralose to the rodents' diet not only reduced the effectiveness of anti-tumor therapy but also contributed to more active tumor growth. However, scientists found a potential solution to the problem – additional intake of arginine or citrulline (a substance that converts to arginine in the body) restored the therapeutic effect. Researchers are already planning clinical trials of dietary supplements that could compensate for the negative effects of the sweetener.

The scientific team notes that completely eliminating sucralose from the diet of cancer patients is practically impossible, so it is necessary to develop dietary adaptation strategies that do not create additional burden for patients. In the future, researchers intend to study the effects of other popular sugar substitutes – aspartame, xylitol, and stevia – on the immune response during anti-tumor therapy.