Sugar-rich diets ‘increase risk of breast cancer development’

The high sugar content of Western diets is leading to an increase in the risk of breast cancer development, according to new research.

Conducted by the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, the study indicated that high dietary sugar levels can increase the risk of breast cancer and metastasis to the lungs.

This association was found to be underpinned by the effect of dietary sugar on an enzymatic signaling pathway, 12-LOX, and a related fatty acid called 12-HETE. Fructose in table sugar and high-fructose corn syrup was shown to be responsible for facilitating lung metastasis and 12-HETE production in breast tumours.

Animal research indicated that 30 percent of mice on a starch-control diet had measurable tumours, compared to 50 to 58 percent with mammary tumours among mice on sucrose-enriched diets.

Dr Peiying Yang, assistant professor of palliative, rehabilitation and integrative medicine, said: "Prior research has examined the role of sugar, especially glucose, and energy-based metabolic pathways in cancer development. The inflammatory cascade may be an alternative route of studying sugar-driven carcinogenesis that warrants further study."

This is the first study to examine the direct effect of sugar consumption on the development of breast cancer using animal models and to demonstrate the specific mechanisms involved.