Common Sugar May Help Ovarian Cancer Cells Spread After Chemotherapy
Researchers at The Wistar Institute have identified a previously unknown way in which ovarian cancer cells that survive chemotherapy may help tumors spread. In findings published in Nature Aging, they showed that these cells can remain biologically active even after they stop multiplying, releasing molecules that influence neighboring cancer cells. One of those molecules is fructose, a sugar found naturally in fruit and honey and widely used through table sugar and high-fructose corn syrup in sweetened drinks and processed foods.
The researchers found that fructose can act as a chemical signal rather than merely as an energy source. It weakens the bonds holding nearby tumor cells together, making them more capable of breaking away and spreading. Experiments separating chemotherapy-surviving cells from the substances they released showed that the released molecules alone significantly increased cancer spread in a preclinical model. This is particularly important in ovarian cancer, which commonly returns after platinum-based chemotherapy and spreads through the abdominal cavity; metastasis is responsible for approximately 90% of ovarian cancer deaths.
The study also found that high fructose intake comparable to levels in sugary drinks produced signals associated with cancer spread in preclinical experiments, even without chemotherapy. Cholesterol-lowering statins also produced concerning effects in the experiments. The findings do not show that eating sugar causes ovarian cancer to spread in humans, and researchers have not established whether reducing fructose improves patient outcomes. Further studies will be needed before dietary changes can be recommended as part of treatment.
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