Study found Cancer Cells May Acquire Fatty Acid 'Coat' to Form New Tumors

According to the U.S. 'New Scientist' website reported on August 19, 2020, cancer cells spread through lymph fluid, it will then circulate the infection-fighting cells throughout the body and help clean up cell debris. It is possible to sow the seeds of future tumor growth because they have obtained a 'coat' composed of monounsaturated fatty acids. This 'coat' can help protect them from damage and enable them to survive long enough to form new tumors.

According to reports, it usually takes several years for tumors to spread or metastasize to more distant parts of the body. This is mainly because most of the cells die during the transfer process through the blood. In previous research, Morrison and his team proposed that oxidative stress, the process by which oxygen free radicals can destroy fat cell membranes-killed most of these cells. But it is not clear why some cells can 'escape from the dead.'

To find out, Sean Morrison of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center found through experiments that more cancer cells survive in the lymph than in the blood, and they are more likely to sow the seeds of future tumors. Cancer cells in the blood are more likely to experience high levels of oxidative stress and die.

In the cell membranes of cancer cells in the lymph nodes, researchers found higher levels of oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid. For cancer cells in the blood that have not stayed in the lymph nodes, the cell membrane is mainly composed of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are more likely to be damaged by oxidative stress.

According to the report, Morrison said that oleic acid in cells exposed to lymph fluid dilutes polyunsaturated fats, so that cancer cells can later be protected from oxidative damage when they spread through the blood to the distal end of the body.

He said that this gives researchers another goal in the fight to prevent the development of cancer in patients. In addition to drugs that can destroy the protective film, Morrison and his research team are testing the effects of feeding mice a "cheeseburger diet", which is rich in fat and can make the protective film vulnerable. So as to slow down the development of cancer.