A new study conducted by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center has shown that the combination of glucose and fructose found in sugary drinks promotes colorectal cancer metastasis in late-stage disease models. The findings were published in Nature Metabolism.

In laboratory cancer models, scientists compared the effects of a glucose–fructose mixture with glucose or fructose alone. Only the sugar mixture made cancer cells more mobile, leading to faster spread to the liver — the most common site of metastasis in colorectal cancer.

The underlying mechanism is linked to the activation of the enzyme sorbitol dehydrogenase (SORD), which enhances glucose metabolism and triggers the cholesterol pathway that promotes metastasis. This is the same pathway targeted by statins — widely used drugs for lowering cholesterol. Blocking SORD slowed metastasis even in the presence of the sugar mixture, pointing to a potential strategy for slowing cancer progression.

The study highlights the importance of diet not only in cancer risk but also in disease progression after diagnosis.

Although these findings require further investigation, the researchers suggest that reducing sugary drink consumption, targeting SORD, or repurposing statins may benefit patients with colorectal cancer.