While there are treatments for pancreatic cancer, it is still a deadly disease, and new research is constantly evolving to find newer and more effective ways of eradicating this cancer. Glutamine may play a role in helping to attack pancreatic cancer, but it is best to talk with your oncologist about whether glutamine supplements are safe and appropriate for you.
Pancreatic Cancer
One of the cancers with the highest mortality rates, pancreatic cancer will be newly diagnosed in more than 44,000 people in the United States in 2011 and will kill over 37,000 individuals in the U.S. that same year, reports the National Cancer Institute. The pancreas helps you digest food by releasing pancreatic enzymes, and it also makes hormones like insulin, which helps to regulate blood sugar. Treatment depends on the stage and spread of the disease, but may include radiation, surgery, chemotherapy and targeted therapy. If you are diagnosed with the disease, talk with your doctor about the best treatment options for you.
Glutamine
Amino acids help build protein, and glutamine is the amino acid found most abundantly in the human body, says the University of Maryland Medical Center. Glutamine supplementation is typically not necessary because the body makes adequate amounts of the substance. Under significant amounts of stress like an injury, the body may need more glutamine. This amino acid may help boost the immune system, speed up wound healing, relieve symptoms of irritable bowel disease and may help fight cancer. Foods containing glutamine include pork, chicken, milk, raw spinach and cabbage, and it can also be taken as a separate supplement.
Effect of Glutamine on Pancreatic Cancer
Some tumor cells express addiction to glutamine and need this amino acid to grow. If a pancreatic tumor expresses this need for glutamine, targeted therapies that use glutamine metabolism for treatment purposes may be effective in treating cancer, claim Wise and Thompson, in a 2010 article in "Trends in Biochemical Sciences." More research needs to be done on how exactly pancreatic cancer cells use glutamine and what treatments can be developed that exploit this need for glutamine. This amino acid may also increase the effectiveness of certain chemotherapy drugs, explains the University of Maryland Medical Center. Talk with your doctor about whether glutamine has been shown to improve treatment outcomes with the specific drugs you are on for your cancer treatment, and whether it is appropriate for you to take.
Considerations
The use of glutamine for cancer is still being studied. For some kinds of tumors, glutamine may actually promote tumor growth, while for others, it can help cancer drugs kill the cancer more effectively. Before taking any glutamine supplements, talk with your doctor about whether it is safe for your situation. Individuals with certain medical conditions such as kidney or liver disease should avoid taking glutamine, so tell your doctor about any medical problems or medications you may be taking, to avoid adverse effects.
