Dr. Weeks’ comment: This article https://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/64/5/1794 is one of many showing that the 5 carbon natural sweetener RIBOSE fights cancer. All 6 carbon sugars (glucose and sucrose) promote cancer. But 5 carbon sugars not only lower blood sugar (despite being sweet) but they also fight cancer.

“….. In conclusion, l-dRib inhibits metastasis probably by suppressing TP-stimulated expression of angiogenic factors such as VEGF and IL-8, and l-dRib may prove to be a more efficient and less toxic agent than currently available drugs for the inhibition of metastasis of TP-expressing tumors...”

Inhibition of Metastasis of Tumor Cells Overexpressing Thymidine Phosphorylase by 2-Deoxy-l-Ribose

Yuichi Nakajima, et al DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-03-2597 Published March 2004

Abstract

Thymidine phosphorylase (TP) catalyzes the reversible conversion of thymidine to thymine, thereby generating 2-deoxy-d-ribose-1-phosphate, which upon dephosphorylation forms 2-deoxy-d-ribose (d-dRib), a degradation product of thymidine. We have previously shown that d-dRib promotes angiogenesis and chemotaxis of endothelial cells and also confers resistance to hypoxia-induced apoptosis in some cancer cell lines. 2-Deoxy-l-ribose (l-dRib), a stereoisomer of d-dRib, can inhibit d-dRib anti-apoptotic effects and suppressed the growth of KB cells overexpressing TP (KB/TP cells) transplanted into nude mice. In this study, we examined the ability of l-dRib to suppress metastasis of KB/TP cells using two different models of metastasis. The antimetastatic effect of l-dRib was first investigated in a liver-metastasis model in nude mice inoculated with KB/TP cells. Oral administration of l-dRib for 28 days at a dose of 20 mg/kg/day significantly reduced the number of metastatic nodules in the liver and suppressed angiogenesis and enhanced apoptosis in KB/TP metastatic nodules. Next, we compared the ability of l-dRib and tegafur alone or in combination to decrease the number of metastatic nodules in organs in the abdominal cavity in nude mice receiving s.c. of KB/TP cells into their backs. l-dRib (20 mg/kg/day) was significantly (P < 0.05) more efficient than tegafur (100 mg/kg/day) in decreasing the number of metastatic nodules in organs in the abdominal cavity. By in vitro invasion assay, l-dRib also reduced the number of invading KB/TP cells. l-dRib anti-invasive activity may be mediated by its ability to suppress the enhancing effect of TP and d-dRib on both mRNA and protein expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and interleukin-8 in cultured KB cells. These findings suggest that l-dRib may be useful in a clinical setting for the suppression of metastasis of tumor cells expressing TP.

… In conclusion, l-dRib inhibits metastasis probably by suppressing TP-stimulated expression of angiogenic factors such as VEGF and IL-8, and l-dRib may prove to be a more efficient and less toxic agent than currently available drugs for the inhibition of metastasis of TP-expressing tumors.