Researchers have discovered that fructose, a common sugar, may play a role in helping cancer cells survive treatment and spread to other parts of the body. The study, published in the journal Nature on July 29, 2026, found that fructose acts as a chemical signal released by treatment-surviving cancer cells, potentially contributing to metastasis.
The research team, led by Dr. Wei Li at the University of California, San Francisco, conducted experiments on mice with breast cancer. They observed that after chemotherapy, a small population of cancer cells remained and began producing fructose. This fructose then acted as a messenger, signaling other cancer cells to become more mobile and invasive, facilitating their spread.
"This is a previously unknown mechanism by which residual cancer cells can promote metastasis," said Dr. Li in a press release. "Our findings suggest that targeting fructose production or its signaling pathways could be a new therapeutic strategy to prevent cancer recurrence."
The study also analyzed human breast cancer tissue samples and found higher levels of fructose in tumors from patients who had undergone chemotherapy compared to those who had not. However, the researchers caution that this is an early-stage discovery and more research is needed to confirm the findings in humans.
While the study highlights a potential new target for cancer treatment, it does not suggest that dietary fructose directly causes cancer spread. The fructose in the study was produced by the cancer cells themselves, not consumed through diet. Further studies are needed to explore the implications for cancer patients.
