While there is an ongoing debate in science over whether or not sugar feeds cancer and causes tumors to grow, scientists in Belgium revealed a breakthrough last week that suggests that sugar awakens cancer cells.

The researchers, who published the findings of their nine-year study in the journal Nature Communications, focused on the Warburg effect, which is the observation that tumors convert much higher amounts of sugar into lactate compared to healthy tissues.

This activity in the body has been extensively studied and even used to detect tumors, but until this study, it has been uncertain whether the effect is merely a symptom of cancer or an actual cause.

The scientists believe sugar produces more of the most common cancer-causing genes, also known as Ras proteins, which fuels aggressive tumors.

In other words, sugar “awakens” existing cancer cells, the researchers say.

In a statement, co-author Johan Thevelein said “Our research reveals how the hyperactive sugar consumption of cancerous cells leads to a vicious cycle of continued stimulation of cancer development and growth.”

Thevelein concluded that the study could once and for all explain the correlation between the strength of the Warburg effect and tumor aggressiveness.

“This link between sugar and cancer has sweeping consequences,” he said.

The Belgium study finding could in fact lead to new treatments and new diets for a variety of cancers.

“The next step is to find out whether these results also apply to patients,” Thevelein said. “To do this, clinical trials with oncologists have to be developed. Only after these results from these kind of trials are known, statements can be made about possible consequences for cancer treatments and adjusted diets.”

Thevelein, a molecular biologist at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium, did state this caveat last week: “Some people are interpreting that we have found a mechanism for how sugar causes cancer, but that is certainly not the case.”

Instead, Thevelein said, his work shows just how sugar is broken down differently in cancer cells.

There are already a handful of studies in humans that have shown a demonstrable connection between lower-sugar diets and a lower rate of cancer recurrence, especially for people who are obese, experts tell Healthline.

Thevelein’s work adds to that research, and he said his findings could indeed mean that people with cancer should eat a low-sugar diet.