What Is Autophagy And Why Sonali Bendre Credits It In Her Cancer-Healing Journey?

Cancer survivor and Bollywood actor Sonali Bendre has started a national conversation around cancer care after crediting autophagy, the body’s natural cellular cleanup process, as part of her healing journey from stage 4 metastatic cancer. She wanted to share what helped her during treatment, but the post quickly sparked debate amongst doctors, researchers and the public as to the limits of naturopathy, risks of misinformation and the role of celebrity influence in health discussions.

What is Autophagy?

Autophagy, a term that literally means “self-eating,” describes the process in which the body recycles damaged or worn-out components within the cell, usually when under conditions of stress or starvation.

Under low-energy conditions, cells break down impaired parts and put the helpful cellular elements back into circulation to rid the body of waste. This helps maintain cellular health, boosts immunity, reduces inflammation, and supports metabolic balance.

Scientists often explain it as the body’s own repair-and-reuse system, just like taking old material and repurposing it for a new use. Until now, autophagy has been talked about since the 1960s, but the Nobel Prize–winning research done in 2016 by Japanese biologist Yoshinori Ohsumi shed light upon how it works.

How Sonali Bendre came to know about autophagy?

Sonali Bendre says it was her naturopath who introduced her to this research during her cancer journey and that the exploration of autophagy-supported practices helped her cope through treatment. She said she still relies on these habits today because they made a positive difference to her overall wellbeing.

However, she clarified, she never said autophagy cured her cancer or that it replaces medical treatment. Cancer remission came after intensive care was given at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, which included chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery.

Criticisms raised

Despite these explanations, several medical professionals were concerned. Hepatologist Dr. Cyriac Abby Philips, widely known as LiverDoc, cited the fact that while autophagy is very real as a biological process, it has yet to be established in having any role as a standalone treatment for any type of cancer.

He further emphasised that no recognised cancer authority advocates for fasting, calorie restriction, or other similar techniques that induce autophagy as a replacement for evidence-based treatment. 

Oncologists explained that there is a complex relationship between autophagy and cancer: while in some instances, autophagy suppresses tumor growth; in others, it may help cancer cells survive. This dual nature explains why scientists are still investigating whether boosting or suppressing autophagy might be useful in certain cancer types or stages.

While autophagy can be induced through lifestyle practices such as intermittent fasting, restricted calorie consumption, exercise, or high-fat, low-carbohydrate diets, experts caution against attempting such routines except under supervision, specifically for those with chronic illnesses. According to nutrition expert Neelanjana Singh, autophagy is closely regulated. It naturally slows down when we overeat, and keeping a healthy routine supports its rhythm, but it cannot cure any disease.

Pressed for further comment, Bendre posted a detailed statement on November 24, 2025, that explained she had shared a personal experience and not medical advice. She stated that each case of cancer is different, that she tried the autophagy method after research and upon being advised medically, and called for grace in discussing topics where people may hold different opinions about health. Her story was never to be taken as a prescription.

Debate over autophagy

Her post, however, brought into focus a larger problem: how celebrities’ experiences, in good intention, may mislead vulnerable patients in search of hope. Doctors caution that misinformation-from detox diets to alternative “natural cures”-only delays proper treatment and costs lives.

India, battling a growing cancer burden, cannot afford confusion over what works and what doesn’t. It has been established that in the end, autophagy is a cellular process that is scientifically recognized for its promotion of health, but not a cure for cancers. 

Sonali Bendre’s story signifies how supportive lifestyle practices complement medical treatment, not replace it. Her story opened an important discussion on balancing personal experiences of healing with the responsibility to share them carefully in a world full of unverified claims.

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