High-fat diet linked to increased tumor growth

A study published in the journal Nutrition Research found that obesity caused by a high-fat diet plays a role in tumor growth, particularly in colon cancer. In the study, researchers assessed the effects of a high-fat diet on colon cancer growth in a mouse model.

There is increasing evidence that associates colon cancer with obesity. This has been associated with the spread of the Western lifestyle, particularly the consumption of a high-fat diet.

For the study, researchers at Auburn University and Bassett Medical Center sought to determine the effects of high-fat diet induced obesity on the growth of human colon cancer tumors in a mouse model.

They also investigated the potential mechanisms that trigger obesity-linked colon cancer tumor growth.

In conducting the study, they fed mice with either a low-fat diet or high-fat Western diet.
Then, they implanted human colon cancer xenografts in mice.

The results revealed that mice fed with a high-fat Western diet gained weight and had increased intra-abdominal fat. Mice in this group also exhibited greater tumor weight compared to mice fed with a low-fat diet.
In addition, they exhibited higher levels of leptin, but there was no correlation between leptin levels and tumor size.

In sum, the findings of the study indicate that consumption of a high-fat Western diet causes obesity and insulin resistance, which result in accelerated colon cancer growth.

yogaesoteric
June 15, 2019