The Metabolic Link

Metabolic Oncology: From Theory To Clinical Application | Dr. Tomás Duraj | The Metabolic Link Ep. 84

Dr. Dominic D'Agostino PhD, Dr. Angela Poff PhD, and Victoria Field Episode 84

Glioblastoma has a long-term survival rate under 1% at ten years. After decades of research focusing primarily on mutation-targeted therapies, median survival has improved by only a few months. Dr. Tomás Duraj believes there's a better path forward.

Dr. Duraj is a physician-scientist at Boston College working on the metabolic vulnerabilities of cancer. In this Metabolic Health Summit presentation, he outlines a clinical framework for studying ketogenic metabolic therapy — one built on biomarker-driven protocols, not dietary guesswork.

The core argument: cancer cells depend on specific metabolic pathways for survival. Block those pathways while providing alternative fuels to healthy cells, and you create a therapeutic window that most tumors can't escape.

  • Why cancer cells metabolically resemble organisms from 2 billion years ago
  • The limits of the somatic mutation theory and why most targeted gene therapies have underdelivered
  • Substrate level phosphorylation vs. oxidative phosphorylation — and why the distinction matters
  • The Glucose-Ketone Index as a measurable, actionable biomarker
  • The press-pulse strategy: sustained metabolic pressure paired with targeted interventions
  • How to protect healthy tissue before targeting tumor metabolism
  • Repurposed pharmacological approaches and the need for publicly funded clinical trials
  • The case for small, non-randomized pilot studies with highly motivated patients

Metabolic therapy represents the future of medicine: a coherent clinical strategy grounded in decades of research and increasingly recognized by physicians and scientists across disciplines. For practitioners seeking complementary approaches that extend the reach of oncological therapeutics, this presentation lays out a practical roadmap for integrating emerging insights with standard care.

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Please keep in mind: The Metabolic Link does not provide medical or health advice, but rather general information that does not serve as a substitute for a licensed healthcare professional. Never delay in seeking medical advice from an appropriately licensed medical provider for any health condition that you may have.