Could your everyday sugar help cancer cells spread faster?:Scientists uncover an unexpected link between cholesterol drugs and ovarian cancer

Sugar is commonly found in everyday foods and drinks, but scientists have now discovered a possible link between one type of sugar and the spread of ovarian cancer. A new study suggests that fructose, a sugar present in sweetened beverages and several processed foods, may help cancer cells break away from neighbouring cells and spread to other parts of the body. Researchers from The Wistar Institute found that ovarian cancer cells surviving chemotherapy can release fructose. This sugar acts as a chemical signal, weakening the connections between nearby cancer cells and making it easier for them to spread. The study, published in the journal ‘Nature Aging,’ also found that high fructose intake and certain cholesterol-lowering medicines called statins produced similar effects in preclinical experiments. However, researchers have not yet confirmed whether the same process occurs in human patients. Why does ovarian cancer return after chemotherapy?
Ovarian cancer is a disease in which cancer develops in the ovaries. Chemotherapy is one of the common treatments used to destroy cancer cells and stop them from growing. However, some cancer cells can survive treatment. Even when these cells stop multiplying, they may continue releasing substances that influence nearby cancer cells. This can become a concern because ovarian cancer often returns after initial treatment and can spread to other parts of the abdomen. This process is known as metastasis, which occurs when cancer cells move from their original location and form new tumours elsewhere in the body. To understand why this happens, researchers studied cancer cells that survived chemotherapy. They found that substances released by these surviving cells could encourage other cancer cells to spread, even when the surviving cells themselves were no longer multiplying. Aidan Cole, a postdoctoral fellow at The Wistar Institute and the study’s first author, said: Some cancer cells that survive chemotherapy aren’t dividing anymore, but they’re still biologically active. How can fructose help cancer cells spread? The researchers identified fructose as one of the substances responsible for encouraging cancer cells to spread. Fructose is a type of natural sugar found in fruits and honey. It is also used in sweetened beverages, packaged foods, and other products. Table sugar also contains fructose, along with glucose. According to the study, ovarian cancer cells that survive chemotherapy can release fructose into their surroundings. This sugar does more than provide energy in this particular process. It acts as a signal that changes how neighbouring cancer cells behave. Researchers also found that consuming high amounts of fructose produced signals associated with cancer spread in their preclinical experiments, even without chemotherapy. However, this does not mean that eating fruits or consuming sugar directly causes ovarian cancer to spread in humans. The findings are based on laboratory and preclinical research, and further studies are needed to understand the effects in patients. Also read: Zuckerberg says AI is helping him become a better father: It also helps with cooking and obtaining permits to climb mountains

How does fructose weaken the connection between cancer cells? To understand how fructose affects cancer cells, researchers examined its impact on cholesterol production. They discovered that fructose can reduce cholesterol production in neighbouring cancer cells. Cholesterol is commonly associated with heart health, but it also performs important functions in the body. It helps maintain cell membranes, which are the outer layers surrounding cells. These membranes play a role in keeping neighbouring cells connected. When cholesterol production decreases, the connections between cancer cells can become weaker. Researchers found that this makes it easier for cancer cells to separate from one another and potentially spread to other parts of the body. Can cholesterol-lowering medicines also affect cancer spread? Another important finding involved statins, medicines commonly prescribed to lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Since fructose appeared to encourage cancer spread by reducing cholesterol production, researchers wanted to understand whether statins could have a similar effect. Their preclinical experiments showed that statins could also weaken the connections between cancer cells, making it easier for them to separate. This finding has raised questions about whether cholesterol-lowering medicines could influence cancer progression or interact with chemotherapy in certain patients. However, researchers have not established this effect in humans. The findings do not mean that people taking statins should stop their medication or change their treatment without consulting their doctors. Katherine Aird, the study’s senior author and a professor at The Wistar Institute, explained: We haven’t tested this effect in patients yet, but it raises questions about combining cholesterol-lowering drugs with chemotherapy. Also read: China buys Nvidia’s AI chips despite US export ban, report: University with defence links buys Nvidia H200 AI chips in October worth ₹1.08 crore

Could the findings apply to other cancers? Although the research focused on ovarian cancer, scientists believe the same process could potentially occur in other cancers that spread within the abdomen. These include pancreatic, colon and liver cancers. The research team is planning further experiments to find out whether fructose has similar effects on cancer cells in these diseases. The findings offer a new way to understand how cancer cells may continue spreading even after chemotherapy. However, more research is needed before scientists can determine whether reducing fructose intake or changing cholesterol-lowering treatments could help prevent cancer from spreading in patients. For now, the study highlights a possible connection between sugar, cholesterol production, and cancer progression, but it does not establish that dietary sugar causes cancer to spread in humans.