HealthWestern Diet High In Salt, Sugar, And Fat May...

Western Diet High In Salt, Sugar, And Fat May Increase Lung Cancer Risk By Fueling Tumour Growth, Study Reveals

-

- Advertisment -spot_img


New Delhi: Western diet, often high in salt, sugar and fat, has the potential to raise the risk of cancer in the lungs, finds a study. 

Previous research has shown the link between poor diet and cancers of organs like the liver and pancreas; thus the long-term impact of diet has been well studied.

“Lung cancer has not traditionally been thought of as a dietary-related disease,” said Ramon Sun, Associate Professor and director of the University of Florida’s Center for Advanced Spatial Biomolecule Research.

“Diseases like pancreatic cancer or liver cancer, yes. However, when it comes to lung cancer, the idea that diet could play a role is rarely discussed,” Sun added.

For the study, published in the journal Nature Metabolism, the team focussed on glycogen accumulation — a storage molecule, made up of glucose, or a simple sugar. It has been found to accumulate at high levels across a variety of cancers and other diseases.

Through lab models and computer-guided models of glycogen stores in the lung, the researchers showed that in lung cancer, glycogen acts as an oncogenic metabolite, akin to a “giant lollipop for cancer’s sweet tooth.”

The more glycogen in the cancer cells, the bigger and worse the tumour growth.

When scientists fed mice a high-fat, high-fructose Western diet that supported more glycogen in the blood, lung tumours grew. When glycogen levels decreased, tumour growth did, too.

In short, the typical Western diet increases glycogen levels and glycogen feeds lung cancer tumours by providing their building blocks for growth, said the researchers.

Glycogen is an “exceptionally good predictor” of tumour growth and death in lung cancer patients, Sun said.

Sun called for greater emphasis on public awareness and policy-driven strategies to promote healthier dietary choices much like the anti-smoking campaign.

“Prioritising a nutrient-rich diet, maintaining an active lifestyle and minimising alcohol intake are foundational strategies for long-term health,” the team said.



Source link

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Latest news

Evans powers Bryant to AE Tournament title

Mar 15, 2025, 01:36 PM ETSMITHFIELD, R.I. -- Barry Evans scored 19 points, Earl Timberlake added 17 and...

Seasonally-adjusted US urban apparel CPI up MoM in Feb: BLS

The US consumer price index for all urban consumers (CPI-U) increased by 0.2 per...

Trump Seeks More Sway in Picking Kennedy Center Honorees

When President Trump was criticized by some of the artists who were recognized at the annual Kennedy Center...
- Advertisement -spot_imgspot_img

Greenland government calls Trump’s acquisition talks ‘unacceptable’

The government of Greenland called President Donald Trump's comments about taking control of the country "unacceptable" in...

A Mathematical ‘Fever Dream’ Hits the Road

Ingrid Daubechies, a mathematician at Duke University, is an expert on many matters, not least the baking of...

Must read

New country album pays homage to Tom Petty

New country album pays homage to Tom Petty...

At least 10 shot dead as section of Kenyan parliament set on fire

At least ten people were shot dead in...
- Advertisement -spot_imgspot_img

You might also likeRELATED
Recommended to you