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| Thomas Seyfried |
According to professor Dr. Thomas Seyfried, cancer is not caused
by gene mutations. Cancer is primarily a metabolic disease driven by damaged
respiration rather than a genetic mutation-driven disease. All gene
mutations found in cancers are secondary effects and not the cause of
cancer. His radical views have implications for cancer treatment. He is
strongly opposed to mainstream cancer therapies such as radiation
therapy and chemotherapy, and he promotes alternative less toxic therapies.
The question of what cancer is and how it should be treated extends far
beyond the scientific controversy over gene-centrism, cell-centrism or
metabolism-centrism. For a cancer patient, it is a matter of life and
death.
According to Seyfried, cancer begins in the mitochondria. The main
evidence of his theory is dysfunctional mitochondria. Electron microscopic photographic images clearly show damaged
mitochondira in many but not all cancers. This results in fermentation (glycolysis and glutaminolysis) for
energy even when oxygen is present. Tumor growth depends heavily on
specific fuels like glucose and glutamine; depriving cells of these
fermentable fuels through restricted ketogenic diets or metabolic
therapies targets cancer cell survival. The main advantage of the
Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy is that it does not damage non-cancerous cells
because healthy cells have flexible, fully functioning mitochondria that
can switch to burning fats and ketones for energy, whereas cancer cells
rely rigidly on fermentation (glucose and glutamine) and lack this
metabolic flexibility.
His critics point out that thousands of peer-reviewed genomic studies
show specific, recurring driver mutations (such as in TP53, BRCA, or EGFR) [4]
that directly cause uncontrolled cell growth. Indeed, I found his
ignorance (?), omission or dismissal of genetic evidence rather
shocking. He has the right to have an alternative theory, but he must deal with
the established mainstream facts [1]. You can't just ignore them. It
is very unlikely that the association of specific 'cancer mutations'
and cancer are accidental and have no meaning. What is the likelihood
that a mere handful out of the 25,000 human genes would acquire mutations so consistently in almost all cancers? How do cancer-specific mutations arise as an epiphenomenon
of the 'disturbance of cellular energy metabolism'?
Another question I have is: What is the cause of dysfunctional
mitochondria? Could it be that this is caused by mutations in
mitochondrial-DNA or in nuclear-DNA? [3]. Seyfried should address these matters
especially if he wants to be taken serious by mainstream science.
Furthermore, I wonder why dysfunctional mitochondria result in uncontrolled cell division. Why
should that have survival advantage? Why don't those cells just die? This
is an unsolved problem in his theory [2].
Seyfried is a scientific maverick in the sense that he is an independent
and unorthodox researcher and an outspoken critic of mainstream oncology.
He accuses mainstream oncologists of dogmatism and 'confirmation bias'.
The reason that I blogged about Seyfried is that he has alternative views
(I am always interested in interesting alternative views!) and that he is
strongly opposed to dogmatic DNA- and gene-centric thinking. Finally,
Seyfried's therapy could render harsh treatments such as chemotherapy and
radiation unnecessary, and potentially save lives.
Notes
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For example 'inherited cancer predisposition syndromes'. About 55% to 72% of women with a harmful BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation
will develop breast cancer by age 80.
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According to mainstream science, mutations in the TP53 and Ras genes
are primary causes of cancer, they are driver mutations. So, mainstream science has a detailed explanation of the association of
specific somatic mutations and uncontrolled cell
proliferation. This is lacking in Seyfried's theory as far as I know. However,
interestingly and intriguingly, the p53 tumor suppressor protein
regulates mitochondrial respiration! This is absolutely a topic that
Seyfried should discuss!
- The nuclear gene CHCHD10 (on chromosome 22), found in fewer than 1% of people who inherit ALS, encodes a protein that enables mitochondria to function properly. Defects in the gene can damage the mitochondria and are thought to contribute to the death of neurons." Nature 1 Oct 2026
- "The most frequently mutated tumor suppressor gene in human cancers is TP53" 2 Oct 2026
Sources
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Thomas N. Seyfried (2012) Cancer As A Metabolic Disease, Wiley.
The book is available in Amazon for $80. For a free overview of his
theory read the 2013 publication (below) of watch his Youtube lectures
(below).
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Cancer as a Mitochondrial Metabolic Disease: Thomas Seyfried, Youtube, 2024. 1:02:27. Sometimes he is a little bit sarcastic and
dramatic. There are other lectures of Seyfried available.
- New Study Confirms that Cancer Cells Ferment Glutamine, Youtube, 2 Jan 2025. 12:23. We now know how to kill the beast. He promises that if his insights are accepted, the cancer mortality rate will fall. I think his experiments are good science.
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Thomas N. Seyfried et al. (2013) Cancer as a metabolic disease: implications for novel therapeutics, Carcinogenesis, 2013.Open Access. With all the illustrations
from his lecture.
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Targeting cancer July 2019. "An international research team led by a Boston
College professor has uncovered a drug and diet pairing that could fight
a deadly brain cancer". This is a free overview of the theory and the
application of a therapy to a mouse.
-
Therapeutic benefit of combining calorie-restricted ketogenic diet
and glutamine targeting in late-stage experimental glioblastoma, Nature, 2019. Open Access. Seyfried is clearly working outside
the mainstream oncology, but he and his team published about brain
tumors in Nature.
- wikipedia artikel Thomas Seyfried
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