Fructose released by chemotherapy‑surviving cells may help ovarian cancer spread

Researchers report that ovarian cancer cells that survive chemotherapy can release fructose, and that sugar appears to help nearby tumour cells detach and spread across the abdominal cavity. The finding comes from a preclinical study led by the Wistar Institute and published in the journal Nature Aging.

The work was conducted mainly in cell cultures and mouse models, so the authors emphasise that the results cannot yet be translated directly into clinical recommendations for patients. The study was designed to investigate why ovarian cancer—an often aggressive and recurring disease—frequently returns after an initially successful response to chemotherapy.

Investigators found that some tumour cells are not killed by treatment but instead stop dividing and enter a senescent state. These senescent cancer cells remain metabolically active and secrete a variety of molecules into their surroundings. Among those secreted factors the team identified fructose, a simple sugar present naturally in fruit but also abundant in many processed foods, sugary beverages and products containing high‑fructose corn syrup.

Therapeutic leads in the lab, but not yet in the clinic

In laboratory experiments the researchers showed that fructose released by senescent tumour cells helped adjacent cancer cells to separate and disseminate. Experimental reduction of enzymes involved in fructose metabolism diminished this effect in animal models. Based on those results the team is now exploring whether a drug that lowers fructose production in surviving tumour cells could be used alongside chemotherapy in the future.

The authors stress that this is an idea for further research rather than an available therapy. Additional experimental work and clinical trials will be required to confirm safety and to determine whether targeting fructose production can actually reduce relapse rates or improve patient survival.

The paper also raises a laboratory‑level question about cholesterol‑lowering medications. In the team’s in vitro experiments, lowering cholesterol in tumour cell membranes made detachment easier. That result does not mean patients should stop statins: the effect has not been tested clinically, and interrupting prescribed cholesterol therapy without consulting a doctor can be dangerous. The researchers call for more detailed study of the relationships between statins, chemotherapy and ovarian cancer biology.

Clinicians and the authors advise patients not to make independent, abrupt changes to diet or treatment. The current, cautious take‑away is general: reducing intake of sugar‑sweetened drinks and ultra‑processed foods can be part of healthier habits, but whether targeted reduction of fructose from fruit affects cancer course will only be answered by future human studies.

Photo: press material from the event