Researchers at the Spanish research institute IRB Barcelona have found that palmitic acid, a fatty acid commonly found in foods, can induce cancer to form metastases by modifying the tumor genome. Research sponsored by the British charity Worldwide Cancer Research temper nature The magazine reported.
Metastasis is the process by which cancer spreads from the source of the disease to other organs. It is estimated that metastases are responsible for 90 percent of cancer deaths – 9 million deaths a year.
Until now, it was not known which fatty acids contribute to the formation of metastases. Spanish researchers looked at oral and skin cancers in mice and showed that consumption of palmitic acid led to metastasis
The oleic acid and linolenic acid in olive oil did not have such an effect.
Palmitic acid is also found in vegetable oils, animal fats, and beeswax, and it is found in its free form in palm oil.
The researchers discovered that after a single exposure to palmitic acid, the cancer cells became highly metastatic over the long term. The reason for this was the epigenetic effects of the substance, that is, the permanent change in the functions of genes that allowed the tumor to develop its own neural network and communicate more easily with its environment.
Professor Salvador Aznar Beniteh, who leads research at the IRB in Barcelona, said the research that led to the result will not be followed up but will look for substances that will prevent these metastases, regardless of what the patient understands.
(SciTechDailyAnd Wikipedia)
