Van Andel Institute’s Study: Limiting Fat to Boost Cancer Treatment

Scientists at the Van Andel Institute in Michigan have discovered that reducing cancer cells’ access to fat could improve the effectiveness of certain cancer treatments. This study, published in Cell Chemical Biology, suggests that dietary changes could enhance anti-cancer therapies.

Understanding Cancer Cell Behavior

Dr. Evan Lien, an assistant professor at the institute and the study’s lead author, emphasized the importance of understanding cancer cell behavior to develop more effective treatments. He stated, “Our findings are an important step toward evidence-based diets that could one day augment existing therapies.”

The Role of Fats in Cancer Growth

Fats are essential nutrients for healthy body function, but cancer cells exploit these resources to fuel their growth. The study focused on ferroptosis, a type of cell death that occurs when fat molecules in cancer cells are damaged. Targeting ferroptosis has become a promising strategy in cancer treatment.

Promising Findings and Future Research

Using cell models, the research team demonstrated that depriving cancer cells of fats makes them more susceptible to ferroptosis and drugs that induce this process. While the findings are promising, further research is needed to confirm these results in other cancer models. The team is also exploring how dietary manipulation of fat types and amounts could enhance the effectiveness of ferroptosis inducers.

Dr. Lien noted, “Diet is something that’s relatively easy to modify. We’re not there yet, but the thing we’re most excited about is how we might be able to use what we learn to one day design diets tailored to different types of treatment. That could be transformative.”