Carlene Springer, APRN
Morrison Cancer Center
For years, scientists have known that cancer cells have a strong affinity for sugar (fructose and glucose).
Over the past 50 years, as ultra-processed foods (sodas, sauces and cereals) have become more common, the intake of high-fructose corn syrup has increased dramatically in the US. Fructose and glucose are common types of sugar found naturally in fruits, vegetables, dairy products and grains. They are also used as sweeteners in processed foods. Fructose is favored by the food industry because it is sweeter than glucose. Increased fructose consumption has been linked to a rise in obesity which increases the risk for certain cancers, including colon cancer.
Recent studies have suggested that fructose (found in high-fructose corn syrup and table sugar) can help tumors grow. The cancer tumors do not directly consume the fructose, but instead, the liver changes fructose into nutrients that cancer cells can use. According to the National Institutes of Health, several types of cancer cells are not able to use fructose directly. However, liver cells have an enzyme that changes fructose into fats called lipids. Lipids are building blocks for cell membranes that cancer cells need to grow.
A characteristic of cancer cells is uncontrolled growth. Each time a cell divides, it must copy its contents and membranes. This requires a large amount of lipids. It’s easier to take lipids up than to make them from scratch.
This information opens possibilities for new treatments such as drugs that block the enzyme to stop or slow tumor growth. This will allow researchers to think about targeting the metabolism of healthy cells to treat cancer instead of limiting treatment to those that only target diseased cells.
Take aways:
- Don’t take this information as a reason to eliminate all fructose from the diet.
- Sugars in whole fruits and vegetables (which include fructose) are broken down differently than high-fructose corn syrup in processed foods.
- High-fructose corn syrup has been linked to weight gain and metabolic syndrome.
- Obesity is linked to several different cancers including: breast, colorectal, endometrial, liver, pancreatic and esophageal.
- Fruits and vegetables are still healthy. Junk food is not.
References: cancer.gov, Siteman Cancer Center
