Now scientists have shown one type of cancer - which can be found in the lungs, head and neck, oesophagus and cervix - has more of a sweet tooth than others.
Squamous cell carcinoma (SqCC) was more dependent on sugar to grow,
This form of the disease used higher levels of a protein that carries glucose to cells to enable them to multiply.
Excessive sugar consumption can leads to diabetes and cancer, because some cancers dependent on sugar to grow.
Without a sufficient supply of the sugar, cells in the body can not function properly.
Cancer Research UK make clear that cancerous cells aren't just dependent on sugar for their growth, as they rely on amino acids and fats also.
The new findings came after researchers looked into the differences between two major subtypes of non-small cell lung cancer - adenocarcinoma (ADC) and SqCC.
About one quarter of all lung cancers are SqCC, which has been difficult to treat with targeted therapies.
The study first tapped into The Cancer Genome Atlas, which maps information about 33 types of cancer gathered from more than 11,000 patients.
Based on that data, it found a protein responsible for transporting glucose into cells was present in significantly higher levels in lung SqCC than in lung ADC.
The protein, called glucose transporter 1, or GLUT1, takes up glucose into cells, where the sugar provides a fundamental energy source and fuels cell metabolism.
GLUT1 is also necessary for normal cell function.
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