Study Links Fructose Release from Chemotherapy-Surviving Cells to Ovarian Cancer Spread

A new study published in Nature Aging suggests that a common sugar may play a role in helping aggressive ovarian cancer advance. Investigators at The Wistar Institute discovered that cancer cells surviving platinum-based chemotherapy—while no longer dividing—remain biologically active. These surviving cells release molecules, specifically identifying the sugar fructose, that act as chemical signals encouraging neighboring tumor cells to break free and migrate.

Metastasis accounts for roughly 90% of deaths from ovarian cancer, a disease that frequently returns and spreads through the abdominal cavity after initial treatments. Using preclinical models, the research team isolated the released substances and determined they were sufficient to drive cancer spread independently of the surviving cells. Furthermore, experiments involving high dietary fructose levels comparable to heavy consumption of sugary beverages showed similar promotion of cancer spread signals even in the absence of chemotherapy.

While the findings highlight a previously unrecognized pathway by which diet might influence tumor progression, experts emphasize important limitations. The preclinical work does not prove that eating dietary sugar causes cancer to spread in humans, and clinical trials have not yet tested whether lowering fructose intake improves patient outcomes. High fructose corn syrup makes up a notable portion of daily caloric intake in the United States, but researchers caution that specific dietary changes cannot be recommended based on these early results alone.

What to know: Chemotherapy-surviving cells may release fructose to signal nearby tumor cells to spread, and high dietary intake showed similar promotional effects in preclinical models. However, these findings are early stage, and patients should always talk to a doctor before making personal medical or dietary decisions.