High-Fructose Corn Syrup Boosts Tumor Growth

High-fructose corn syrup is a common sweetener found in beverages and food and has been linked with increasing rates of obesity, leading to other diseases such as cancer. Unfortunately, there has been an increase in colorectal cancer in younger and middle aged adults. Previous studies have suggested that obesity and metabolic syndrome may affect tumor development. Does sugar boost cancer growth?

In a recent report, the moderate consumption of sugary drinks has been linked with obesity and increased risk of colorectal cancer. More than 90% of colorectal cancer patients have an APC mutation indicating the essential role in tumor development. A mouse model for early-stage colon cancer where the APC gene is deleted was used. Mice that willingly drank a surgery drink rapidly gained weight. Other mice were given an equivalent of one can of soda a day orally. After two months, the mice developed larger and higher grade tumors than those treated with regular water. These results suggest that consuming modest amounts of high-fructose corn syrup in liquid form can boost tumor growth independently of obesity. Future research is needed to determine if sugary drinks and other high sugar foods also boost tumor growth in humans. This highlights potentially harmful health effects of a high sugar diet.

For more information: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30898933/

Enzo Life Sciences provides a wide range of products for all your Cancer and Metabolism needs. Our platforms provide a wide range of small molecules, antibodies, and proteins. We offer a range of TNF products. Our SCREEN-WELL® Cancer Library is a collection of 275 compounds that can be used for cancer inhibitor screening and assay development.

comments powered by Disqus