Positive Health Online

Introduction: A Familiar Diagnosis, a Missed Therapeutic Opportunity

President Joe Biden’s reported diagnosis of advanced metastatic prostate cancer has stirred concern worldwide. At age 82, he reportedly faces aggressive disease – Gleason score 9 with bone metastases – findings that typically carry a poor prognosis.

The White House assures the public that the cancer is “hormone-sensitive” and “responding well” to conventional therapy. But this standard approach – primarily hormone blockade and palliative care – raises a deeper question:

Is this Truly the Best We Can Do?

The answer is no.

A growing body of evidence now supports a fundamentally different therapeutic model: Cancer as a metabolic disease. Rather than viewing cancer as a purely genetic disorder, the metabolic model identifies mitochondrial dysfunction, chronic inflammation, and toxin-induced oxidative stress as core drivers of cancer progression.

Metabolic cancer therapy addresses these root causes through a comprehensive and integrative approach:

• A restricted ketogenic diet to deprive tumour cells of their primary fuel: glucose;
• Glycolysis and glutaminolysis inhibitors to shut down cancer-specific metabolic pathways;
• High-dose vitamin C and targeted micronutrients to support immune function, restore redox balance, and exert direct cytotoxic effects against cancer cells through pro-oxidative mechanisms;
• Mitochondrial support to restore healthy cellular energy production and regulate key cellular functions such as apoptosis, immune signaling, and metabolic homeostasis;
• Detoxification protocols to reduce the body’s burden of environmental and endogenous carcinogens, including heavy metals, endocrine disruptors, and persistent organic pollutants that contribute to DNA damage, hormone imbalance, and cancer risk.

This is not merely a preventative concept – it is an active, real-world therapeutic strategy that has helped patients with advanced cancers, including metastatic prostate cancer, not only extend survival but also regain quality of life.

As the world watches President Biden’s medical journey, this is the time to ask: Why is metabolic therapy still missing from mainstream cancer care?

Top: Cancer As A Metabolic Disease, by Thomas N Seyfried; Chinese translation, by Richard Z. Cheng et al. 2018, Science Press, Beijing. Bottom: Thomas N. Seyfried, Richard Z. Cheng International Cancer Metabolic Therapy Forum, Shanghai, 2018.

The Metabolic Theory of Cancer: A Paradigm Shift

The foundation of our approach draws upon the groundbreaking work of Dr Thomas N. Seyfried, professor of biology at Boston College and author of the influential book, Cancer as a Metabolic Disease. Seyfried's research builds on the original theory proposed by Nobel laureate Otto Warburg, who observed that cancer cells primarily rely on aerobic glycolysis – the fermentation of glucose – even in the presence of oxygen, a hallmark of dysfunctional mitochondria.

Seyfried’s thesis challenges the dominant genetic mutation model of cancer and reframes it as a metabolic disease, rooted in mitochondrial dysfunction and energy dysregulation. This paradigm explains why dietary and metabolic interventions – especially ketogenic diets, glycolysis inhibitors, and mitochondrial support– can be powerful therapeutic tools.

It was under this framework that our team developed and implemented a real-world integrative metabolic cancer therapy protocol that has changed lives – including one particularly striking case.

Integrative Metabolic Cancer Therapy: A Real-Life Case from the Front Lines

One of our most compelling success stories is Mr Z, a man diagnosed in 2015 at age 86 with widespread metastatic prostate cancer to the bones and liver – a scenario strikingly similar to President Biden's. He received standard care – including surgery, chemotherapy, and hormonal castration – and remained disease-free for about a year, until the cancer returned violently in early 2018 with a dramatic PSA spike (>100), severe systemic pain, delirium, and faecal  incontinence. His family was preparing for his imminent passing.

His daughter heard of our approach and came to seek our help. They chose a different path: Integrative Metabolic Cancer Therapy.

Under our care, Mr. Z began a multifaceted program inspired by the metabolic theory of cancer:

• Restricted Ketogenic Diet to deprive cancer cells of glucose;
• Glycolysis inhibitors to further limit tumor energy metabolism;
• High-dose Vitamin C (oral and intravenous) alongside mitochondrial antioxidants;
• Liver detoxification support to optimize metabolic clearance;
• Mitochondrial nutrients to restore cellular energy function;

The results were extraordinary:

• Within 5 months, his PSA normalized (<4);
• Symptoms vanished;
• He regained full independence, tending his vegetable garden and enjoying regular bicycle rides around town;
• Occasionally, he sneaked a bowl of noodles– despite his daughter’s scolding;
• He continued high-dose IV vitamin C (HDIVC) for years, gradually tapering;
• He survived 7 more years and ultimately passed away peacefully at age 92;
• His death was unrelated to cancer, with no clinical signs of recurrence at the time of passing.

This is not an isolated anecdote. We have cared for patients with brain, lung, liver, breast, ovarian, hematologic, and other cancers using this metabolic framework. It is a demonstration of the power of addressing root causes, restoring metabolic integrity, and supporting – not suppressing – the body’s natural defenses.

The Missed Opportunity in Conventional Care

Standard therapies for prostate cancer – surgery, hormone blockade, radiation, chemotherapy –can be helpful but are incomplete. They often fail to address:

• Underlying metabolic dysfunctions;
• Micronutrient insufficiencies;
• Chronic inflammation and oxidative stress;
• Detoxification limitations, particularly in older adults.

In President Biden’s case, we hope for a full recovery. But we also urge his medical team – and the public at large – not to overlook the scientifically grounded, life-extending tools available through orthomolecular and metabolic medicine.

What Could Be Done – Now

Whether facing early-stage or advanced prostate cancer, orthomolecular and metabolic strategies offer evidence-supported approaches to improve outcomes, restore metabolic control, and support long-term resilience:

• Therapeutic Ketogenic Diet: At the center of metabolic cancer therapy, a well-formulated ketogenic diet deprives cancer cells of glucose, their primary fuel, while supporting normal cells with ketones. This dietary intervention is essential – not optional – for metabolically driven cancers such as prostate cancer;
• High-Dose Intravenous Vitamin C (HDIVC): A hallmark of orthomolecular medicine, HDIVC has been used for decades in cancer care with a strong safety profile and growing clinical evidence. It functions not only as a powerful antioxidant but also as a pro-oxidant at high concentrations, generating hydrogen peroxide selectively toxic to cancer cells while protecting normal tissue;
• Vitamin D3: Maintain serum levels between 50–100 ng/mL to support immune function, hormone balance, and cancer risk reduction;
• Zinc, Selenium, and Magnesium: Vital for immune competence, hormonal balance, and mitochondrial function;
• Omega-3s and Anti-inflammatory Nutrients: Help reduce chronic inflammation and disrupt cancer-promoting signaling pathways;
• Targeted Detoxification and Gut Health Optimization: Reduce the body’s burden of carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, and pro-inflammatory toxins that impair immunity and metabolic health.

Conclusion: We Must Do Better

President Biden’s diagnosis is not just a personal challenge – it’s a national signal. Cancer is now the second leading cause of death worldwide, and the current model is failing too many.

It’s time to integrate what we know from decades of orthomolecular and metabolic research into mainstream care. Not later – now.

Because cancer is not just a genetic accident. It is, in large part, a metabolic failure.

Let’s start treating it that way.