Study links fructose to Cancer spread

A new scientific study has found that fructose a simple type of sugar may help cancer cells that survive chemotherapy send signals that encourage the disease to spread.

Researchers at the Wistar Institute in the United States explained that some cancer cells are not completely destroyed by chemotherapy.

These surviving cells stop dividing but remain active. They continue to send chemical signals to nearby cancer cells which may influence how the disease behaves.

The study published in the journal Nature Aging suggests that fructose could be one of the substances involved in this signaling process.

According to the researchers it may help surviving cancer cells stay active and communicate with other cancer cells.

Co-author Aidan Cole said this is one of the first studies to show that a nutrient found in food such as fructose may act as a signaling molecule between cancer cells.

Experts say the findings could improve understanding of how cancer returns or spreads after chemotherapy and may help guide future treatments.

However they stressed that more research is needed. The study does not prove that eating fructose directly causes cancer to grow or spread.