Lifestyle choices can severely impact our risk of cancer development, even ones that may not seem diet related
11:29, 16 Mar 2025
Lifestyle choices such as diet can impact our risk of developing several cancers(Image: Getty Images)
It has been known for a long time that our lifestyle choices, whether smoking, exercise or diet can have a huge affect on the risk of developing several types of cancers such as liver cancer, stomach cancer and pancreatic cancer. But a new study has identified a surprising link between our diets and another type of cancer.
A new study from researchers at University of Florida Health studied the affect of diet on the cancer development in a surprising organ- the lungs.
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The study was funded by several National Institutes of Health grants and a collaboration between the University of Kentucky's Markey Cancer Centre and the UF Health Cancer Centre.
Ramon Sun, PhD, an associate professor and director of the UF Centre for Advanced Spatial Biomolecule Research said: “Lung cancer has not traditionally been thought of as a dietary-related disease.”
You may not have considered that your diet can affect your risk of this particular cancer(Image: Dazeley via Getty Images)
“Diseases like pancreatic cancer or liver cancer, yes. However, when it comes to lung cancer, the idea that diet could play a role is rarely discussed.”
The study is thought to be the first of its kind, looking into the association between lung cancer and poor diet at an NCI-designated cancer centre, explained study collaborator Matthew Gentry, PhD, a professor and chair of biochemistry and molecular biology at the UF College of Medicine.
The team used a high-content spatial metabolomics platform Sun had created in 2020 to carry out their investigation.
Sun explained: “This platform offered a new lens through which to visualise diseases, enabling researchers to discern previously undiscovered molecular patterns and interactions with striking detail and depth of insight.”
Lung adenocarcinoma is the cancer that accounts for 40 per cent of lung cancer diagnoses worldwide. The scientists analysed the link between this lung cancer and diet by building off Gentry and Sun’s previous 20-year study of an ultra-rare neurological condition called Lafora disease.
The neurological disorder is debilitating, as patients who develop it seem normal for a decade, then suddenly present with epilepsy. Dementia then follows, and most patients die before they turn 25-years-old.
The new study focused on glycogen accumulation, a storage molecule which is made up of glucose.
Glucose, also known as blood sugar, is a simple sugar and the body's primary source of energy, obtained from the breakdown of carbohydrates in food and drinks. Glycogen is the stored form of glucose, primarily found in the liver and muscles, acting as a readily available energy reserve.
Ultra-processed foods with a high glucose content include sugar-sweetened cereals, mass-produced bread, sugary drinks, sweets and ice cream, and many packaged snacks that are incorporated into most of our daily diets.
Glycogen has been found to accumulate in high levels across a variety of cancers and other diseases, and the scientists looked into its presence in the lungs. They discovered that in lung cancer, glycogen acts as a “giant lollipop for cancer’s sweet tooth.”
It was found that a higher presence of glycogen in cancer cells indicated a bigger and worse lung tumour. When the scientists fed mice a high-fat, high-fructose “Western diet” that supported more glycogen in the blood, lung tumours were found to grow. And when glycogen levels decreased, so did tumour growth.
It was therefore concluded that the typical Western diet increases glycogen levels, and that glycogen feeds lung cancer tumours by providing their building blocks for growth.
Sun explains that glycogen is an “exceptionally good predictor” of tumour growth and death in lung cancer patients.
The researcher explained how this new identified link between lung cancer and diet could help in cancer prevention.
Sun said: “In the long term, our approach to cancer prevention should mirror the success of the anti-smoking campaign — placing greater emphasis on public awareness and policy-driven strategies that promote healthier dietary choices as a fundamental component of disease prevention.”
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Gentry added: “Prioritising a nutrient-rich diet, maintaining an active lifestyle and minimising alcohol intake are foundational strategies for long-term health. Fostering better dietary habits can be a powerful tool in lung cancer prevention.”
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