A new study suggests that lung cancer may be influenced by diet. American scientists found that nlung tumors “feed” on sugar, specifically a substance called glycogenwhich serves as a storehouse of glucose in the body, informs
Research has shown that the more glycogen cancer cells contain, the faster and more aggressive the tumors grow. When the scientists fed the mice “Western diet” with high fat and fructose contentlung tumors grew significantly. On the contrary, reducing the level of glycogen slowed the growth of tumors.
Professor Ramon Sun of the University of Florida stated that glycogen is a strong indicator of both tumor growth and mortality in patients with lung cancer. He emphasized that lung cancer traditionally does not combine with dietbut this research may change that. The study is one of the first that directly links lung cancer to nutrition. In doing so, the scientists relied on knowledge from rare research Lafor’s disease.
The study, published in the journal Nature Metabolism, follows up for previous research into Lafora’s disease, an extremely rare neurological disease. Professor Sun, along with his colleague Professor Matthew Gentry, have previously devoted two decades to the disease. The disease manifests itself in such a way that patients develop normally for about ten years until epilepsy appears.
According to experts, cancer prevention should focus more on healthier eating habitssimilar to anti-smoking campaigns in the past. It is interesting that there are already drugs that can affect glycogen levels, which could open up new treatment options.
Professor Matthew Gentry adds that balanced diet, active lifestyle and alcohol restriction they remain the basis of long-term health and can play an important role in lung cancer prevention.
