On September 21, 2024, Professor Thomas Seyfried presented at a BSI Medical Society event in Boston. His talk focuses on cancer as a mitochondrial metabolic disease rather than a genetic one. Seyfried challenges the mainstream somatic mutation theory, which suggests that genetic mutations drive cancer. Instead, he argues that cancer arises from chronic mitochondrial damage and compensatory fermentation, highlighting the role of glucose and glutamine as key fuels for cancer cells.

Throughout his presentation, Seyfried discusses historical examples of scientific paradigms and how they were overturned, using these as a parallel to the current dogma surrounding cancer. He emphasizes the importance of addressing mitochondrial dysfunction and suggests that targeting the metabolic pathways cancer cells rely on, such as glucose and glutamine fermentation, is a more effective approach to treatment.

He also shares case studies, including successful outcomes in both humans and animals using metabolic therapies, such as the ketogenic diet and specific drugs targeting cancer’s metabolic vulnerabilities. Seyfried also discusses the need for a shift in cancer treatment strategies, away from traditional methods like radiation and chemotherapy, which he believes can exacerbate the disease.

Seyfried’s presentation is a call to rethink cancer research and treatment, advocating for therapies that target the metabolic origins of the disease rather than genetic mutations.