Sugar Stores in the Body May Fuel Common Lung Cancer Progression: Study

A diet high in sugar and corn oil promoted sugar storage in mice.

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A recent study from researchers at the University of Kentucky has identified glycogen, a stored form of glucose, as a significant factor in the progression of lung adenocarcinoma, a particularly aggressive form of lung cancer.

Diet High in Fat and Sugar Worsens Cancer

The findings, recently published in Nature Metabolism, suggest that heightened levels of glycogen are linked with increased lung adenocarcinoma tumor aggressiveness and decreased survival rates.

Researchers tested the effects of glycogen in mice and humans. They increased glycogen levels in mice through dietary changes and gene modification. This dual approach allowed them to examine the effects of glycogen from different angles.

The mice were put on different types of diets to see how they affected their bodies. The diets included water (as a control), high-fructose corn syrup (a type of sugar), corn oil (a fat), and a mix of high-fructose corn syrup and corn oil.

While both corn oil and high-fructose corn syrup increased glycogen levels in the lungs, after two weeks, the mice receiving the mixed diet (high-fructose corn syrup and corn oil) had much higher glycogen levels and longer glycogen chains in their lungs. Both of these results were linked to more aggressive lung tumors when the mice were induced to have lung adenocarcinoma.

These findings indicated that “higher glycogen promotes increased tumour progression,” the researchers wrote.

In parallel with the dietary models, the team also used genetic mouse models predisposed to accumulate glycogen in the lungs.

When researchers disabled the enzyme responsible for glycogen production, they found that tumors grew much smaller and were less aggressive. This suggests that targeting glycogen production could be a potential strategy for treating lung adenocarcinoma.

“This integrated approach allows the discovery and validation of key metabolic drivers” necessary for improving treatments for lung adenocarcinoma, the researchers wrote. Through these experiments, they were able to demonstrate that disrupting glycogen production resulted in reduced tumor growth in these mice.

Glycogen Linked to Worse Prognosis in Humans

The study also involved a comprehensive cohort of 276 patients with lung adenocarcinoma. In this group, spatial analysis revealed significant glycogen accumulation, particularly in tumor regions. Glycogen levels were higher in these areas than in surrounding healthy tissue and in other types of lung cancer.

The findings suggest that heightened levels of glycogen are linked with increased tumor aggressiveness and poorer survival rates among patients.

“These findings raise the possibilities of metabolic vulnerabilities associated with diet that should be intriguing avenues for future research, such as studying the impact of dietary patterns on lung cancer survival in human populations,” the study authors wrote.

High Glycemic Index Foods and Cancer Risk

People should be aware that regularly eating foods with a high glycemic index such as sugary drinks, white bread, processed snacks, and candies can do them more harm than just increasing blood sugar, food scientist Ken Tobby told The Epoch Times.

“Such foods usually bring about sharp increases in glucose and insulin levels,” he said. “This may, over time, result in hormonal imbalances and chronic inflammation in the body.”

Chronic inflammation can contribute to cancer development by causing DNA damage, promoting cell growth and division, and creating an environment that favors tumor growth and metastasis.

When the body is constantly filled with insulin or insulin-like growth factors from sugar intake, it will develop an environment in which abnormal cell growth is more likely to happen, according to Tobby.

“This is a major aspect of how cancers can develop,” he said.

Tobby noted that people should also be aware that blood sugar surges from eating these foods also contribute to oxidative stress.

“This is a condition where harmful chemicals known as free radicals develop and attack healthy cells, triggering mutations which result in cancer,” he said.

Limiting added sugar, if not avoiding it completely, is the best way to reduce cancer risk, Catherine Gervacio, registered dietitian and certified exercise nutrition coach, told The Epoch Times.

“We need more research to fully understand the relationship between high [glycemic index] foods and cancer,” she said. “So focus on a balanced diet to ensure your body is getting the right nutrients to reduce cancer risk.”