How Fructose Can Fuel Cancer Growth: What a New Study Shows

Scientists have long known that cancer cells consume glucose to fuel their growth. The relationship between fructose and cancer growth, however, has been less clear – until now. A new NIH-funded study published in Nature reveals an unexpected way fructose can help tumors grow.

What the study found

In laboratory animal models, both fructose and high-fructose corn syrup accelerated the growth of the tumors studied. Surprisingly, the cancer cells did not use fructose directly. Instead, the liver converted fructose into fats (lipids), which the cancer cells then readily absorbed and used to grow.

There was encouraging news as well: an investigational drug that blocks a key liver enzyme in this process showed a marked effect in slowing tumor growth in these models.

What this means for appendix cancer

Appendix cancer cells were not part of this study, and the results come from non-human models, so they cannot be applied directly to patients. Still, the findings are informative. This research is part of the rapidly evolving field of metabolomics – the study of how cells use nutrients and other small molecules. Understanding what fuels tumor growth can point researchers toward new treatment approaches.

ACPMP looks forward to supporting more research in this area to better understand what fuels appendix cancer and to help discover new ways to treat it. Learn more about the research ACPMP funds.

Learn more

Read the National Cancer Institute’s summary of the study: Fructose, the Liver, and Tumor Growth (NCI Cancer Currents Blog).

This summary is for general information only and is not medical advice. Please talk with your care team about what this research may mean for you.