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Nature 458, 713-714 (9 April 2009) | doi:10.1038/458713a; Published online 8 April 2009

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Cancer: When restriction is good

Anne Brunet1

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Dietary restriction can prolong life and delay the onset of cancer. Suppressing the signalling pathway that is mediated by the hormone insulin might be crucial for the anticancer effects of reduced caloric intake.

It is well established that dietary restriction, which involves limiting nutrient intake below normal levels but without reaching malnutrition, extends lifespan in most, if not all, species — probably including humans1. This amazing benefit is likely to be due to the evolutionary advantage of keeping alive under suboptimal nutrient availability, and postponing reproduction until food is plentiful.

  1. Anne Brunet is in the Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA.
    Email: anne.brunet@stanford.edu

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