Grant: Canada Postdoctoral Research Award (CPRA) program

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among Canadian men and a leading cause of cancer-related deaths. One of the primary treatments, enzalutamide, often loses its effectiveness over time. Our proposal explores how diet and physical activity might help slow prostate cancer growth and improve the efficacy of enzalutamide. A hormone called IGF-1 and a protein complex called mTORC1 are known to promote cancer cell growth. Both are influenced by diet and physical activity. For example, IGF-1 is elevated by high-sugar diets, while certain amino acids-such as glutamine and leucine-activate mTORC1. On the other hand, physical activity can lower glutamine levels in the blood, which may help reduce the activation of mTORC1 and limit cancer growth. This study will test how a diet low in sugars and leucine, combined with physical activity, affects prostate cancer cells cultured in the lab and in mouse tumors. One focus will be a low glycemic index diet with restricted leucine intake, combined with physical activity. We will also examine how these lifestyle interventions impact the efficacy of enzalutamide and how their effects can be amplified by early-life calorie restriction (eating less during childhood and adolescence). Early results show that reducing glutamine can significantly slow cancer cell growth. If successful, this research could lead to new guidelines in which diet and exercise are not just supportive measures but integral parts of prostate cancer treatment. This could improve patients' quality of life and open new doors for treating other types of cancer as well.