A new study conducted by researchers from Shanghai Chest Hospital and Shanghai Jiao Tong University has shed light on the potential role of fructose in the fight against cancer. The study, published in the journal Cell Metabolism and commented on in Nature Immunology, suggests that fructose, a naturally occurring sugar found in fruit, honey, and some sweet foods, may be a valuable ally in boosting the immune system’s ability to combat cancer.
Paolo Ascierto, president of the Melanoma Foundation and oncologist at Pascale in Naples, commented on the study’s findings, stating that while it has been known for some time that fructose is associated with the growth of certain tumors, its impact on the anti-tumor immune response was previously unclear. However, the new study indicates that a diet rich in fructose may actually strengthen the immune response against cancer, potentially aiding in controlling its growth.
In the study, one group of mice with melanoma were fed a high-fructose diet, while another group was fed a normal diet. After just two weeks, the mice on the high-fructose diet showed a significant reduction in tumor growth and tumor-induced lethality compared to the control group. Similar results were seen in a previous study on mice with lung cancer, where a high-fructose diet led to reduced tumor size and increased survival.
The researchers also observed that dietary fructose increased the immune response of T lymphocytes, particularly CD8+ cells, which have the function of identifying and killing tumors, thus controlling the progression of the disease. The consumption of fructose was found to trigger the production of leptin, a hormone produced by adipose tissue that signals the brain to feel full, both in the blood and in tumor tissue. The increase in leptin was associated with an increase in the activity of anti-tumor T lymphocytes, enhancing the immune response against cancer.
However, Ascierto cautioned that the study does not suggest that increasing sugar intake automatically helps fight cancer. Instead, further research is necessary to understand how fructose can be exploited to strengthen the action of the immune system against cancer. The findings indicate that sugar, particularly fructose, may not be all black and white, and more studies are needed to explore its potential role in cancer treatment.
Overall, the study’s findings have opened up new possibilities for the role of sugar in the fight against cancer, and further research in this area could lead to new strategies for enhancing the immune response to cancer.