Nature Metabolism: Excessive consumption of fatty and sweet foods may cause lung cancer, study suggests

Excess sugar and fat in the diet will lead to the accumulation of glycogen carbohydrates in the body, which will “feed” lung cancer tumor cells. This conclusion was reached by researchers from the University of Florida (UF). And the findings of their respective study were published in the journal Nature Metabolism.

“Lung cancer has not traditionally been thought of as a dietary-related disease,” said Ramon Sun, Ph.D., an associate professor and director of the UF Center for Advanced Spatial Biomolecule Research.

And to refute this misconception, researchers conducted a series of experiments on cell lines. The mechanism of the occurrence of the Lafora disease was taken as a basis, which causes developmental disorders of neurons in the cerebral cortex and disruptions in glycogen metabolism. It is a polysaccharide that acts as a glucose depot in the body. Researchers noted that glycogen accumulates in large quantities in various types of cancer.

Using laboratory and computer models, researchers determined that glycogen acts as an oncogenic metabolite in lung cancer. They found that the more glycogen there is in cancer cells, the faster the tumor grows.

Additional studies in mice confirmed the findings. When these animals were fed fatty and sweet foods that contributed to the accumulation of glycogen in the blood, tumors grew in their lungs. But when glycogen levels were reduced, cancer progression slowed.

The researchers explained that excess glycogen can accumulate in the body and “feed” lung cancer cells, providing the “building blocks” for their growth.

The researchers added that there are now three drugs that can target glycogen levels. All of them were developed during the study of the Lafora disease, but can be used as an additional tool in the fight against lung cancer. It was noted that the basis for the prevention of this disease is the formation of proper eating habits.

“Prioritizing a nutrient-rich diet, maintaining an active lifestyle and minimizing alcohol intake are foundational strategies for long-term health,” the researchers noted.

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