Topic overview
In brief
- A study from The Wistar Institute found that ovarian cancer cells surviving chemotherapy can release fructose.
- Fructose acts as a signal that encourages nearby cancer cells to spread.
- The research suggests limiting processed fructose consumption could help manage cancer spread.
Summary
A recent study conducted at The Wistar Institute in the United States has revealed that a common dietary sugar may play a significant role in the spread of ovarian cancer after chemotherapy treatment. The research, published in the journal Nature Aging, indicates that ovarian cancer cells that survive chemotherapy can release fructose, which appears to act as a signal to encourage nearby cancer cells to spread. This finding could provide insight into why ovarian cancer frequently recurs and spreads throughout the abdominal cavity after initial treatment.
The study, led by Katherine Aird, Ph.D., who is a professor and co-leader of the Molecular and Cellular Oncogenesis Program at The Wistar Institute, suggests that high concentrations of fructose are linked to increased cancer spread. Aird noted that while the research has not yet been tested directly in humans, the implications of the findings are significant. The researchers found that cancer cells that survived chemotherapy produced fructose and utilized it to signal other cancer cells, enhancing their ability to spread without affecting tumor growth.