A common sugar may help cancer cells break free and spread
Chemotherapy-surviving ovarian cancer cells may release fructose to help neighboring tumor cells loosen, escape, and spread. The discovery suggests that sugary diets and cholesterol-lowering drugs could influence cancer progression, though the effects have not yet been confirmed in patients.
A study published in Nature Aging by researchers at The Wistar Institute has found that the common dietary sugar fructose may play a role in the spread of ovarian cancer. The research suggests that cancer cells left over after chemotherapy release fructose, acting as a signal to encourage nearby tumor cells to spread. Some cancer cells survive chemotherapy but do not divide, yet they continue to release molecules that communicate with other cells.
The study's lead author, Aidan Cole, discovered that fructose can weaken the connections between cancer cells, making them easier to separate and spread. This finding raises the possibility that dietary habits, specifically fructose intake, may influence cancer progression. The researchers also found that statins, commonly used to lower cholesterol, could weaken the connections between cancer cells and make them more likely to spread.
Further studies are needed to determine if lowering fructose consumption improves patient outcomes or if statins can interfere with the effects of chemotherapy in ovarian cancer patients.
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