Food cravings or early sign of cancer? Viral video links certain food desires with tumour risk

Changes in appetite are usually dismissed as a passing preference or a response to mood and lifestyle. People often assume food cravings reflect nothing more than taste or indulgence. However, medical research and recent viral discussions suggest that certain intense and unusual cravings could be linked to more serious health concerns, including cancer.

A viral Instagram video with nearly two million views has brought renewed attention to this possibility. In the clip, the influencer behind the account @astraworld2025 claimed that doctors believe the body sends signals long before a diagnosis is made. She explained that one of the most unexpected signs is a powerful and almost compulsive craving for foods that an individual may not have previously enjoyed.


Cravings linked to cancer patients

According to cases highlighted in the video, people with gastrointestinal tumours often reported intense cravings for sweets months before their condition was confirmed. According to a doctor interviewed in the post, because tumour cells consume glucose at a much faster rate than healthy ones, the brain may trigger strong urges for sugar to meet these heightened energy demands. Patients have described eating ice cream or desserts in large amounts despite never having a sweet tooth earlier.

Other examples included a woman later diagnosed with kidney cancer who developed an obsession with drinking pickle brine, a craving doctors suggested might reflect her body’s attempt to correct electrolyte imbalances. Another case involved a patient who suddenly became hooked on dairy products, while some men reportedly developed compulsions for raw meat.


What Science Says
The association between food cravings and cancer has been examined in scientific studies, though experts caution that research remains limited. A review published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health in 2022, which analysed seven studies, found that patients with cancers such as breast, ovarian, endometrial and lymphoma displayed stronger cravings for fast food, sweets, carbohydrates and fatty foods. Italian researchers who conducted the review recommended that clinicians carefully monitor changes in eating behaviour during both initial consultations and follow-up visits.

Earlier medical observations also point to appetite changes before diagnosis. Over four decades ago, Dr. Thurstan Brewin of the Institute of Oncology in Glasgow noted that about one in four of his cancer patients reported sudden aversions to certain foods or drinks they had previously enjoyed, describing tea, cheese or sausages as tasting unusually unpleasant. These changes often reversed once treatment began, though the reasons remain unclear.


Expert Caution

Despite these findings, oncologists stress that food cravings alone cannot be considered a definitive symptom of cancer. Dr. Amar Kelkar, a stem cell transplant physician at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, told the American Medical Association that unusual cravings, such as chewing ice, could instead be linked to nutritional deficiencies like iron deficiency anaemia, which itself may point to other underlying health issues.

Specialists also warn against oversimplified claims, such as the belief that avoiding sugar can prevent cancer. While tumour cells do use glucose, scientific evidence does not support the idea that sugar directly causes or worsens cancer in patients.

Although some research suggests a link between altered eating habits and cancer, experts emphasize that sudden cravings should not be seen as proof of the disease. Medical professionals agree that if unusual or persistent changes in appetite occur, consulting a doctor for proper evaluation remains the safest course.


( Originally published on Sep 03, 2025 )