![Pancreatic cancer: fructose is believed to feed cancer cells](https://img.passeportsante.net/1000x526/2014-03-24/i41834-cancer-du-pancreas-le-fructose-alimenterait-les-cellules-cancereuses.jpg)
August 17, 2010 – Refined fructose, found in a multitude of processed food products – cakes, pastries, cookies, ketchup, etc. -, would contribute to the growth of cells responsible for pancreatic cancer.
This is what researchers argue1 who have exposed pancreatic tumors, taken from patients, to glucose or fructose.
As other studies have shown, glucose – or refined sugar – facilitates the growth of cancer cells. However, refined fructose had a similar effect.
Fructose is found in pastries, sugary drinks, candy, cakes and cookies, frozen meals, ketchup, commercial salad dressings, granola bars, and a host of other processed foods.
Although the experiment was conducted on pancreatic cancer cells, the researchers point out that the procancer effect of fructose could apply to other types of cancer.
Likewise, the concentrations of fructose to which cancer cells have been exposed in the laboratory correspond to concentrations comparable to those currently found in the human diet, according to the researchers.
The consumption of fructose has increased significantly over the past 40 years, mainly since the introduction in the early 1970s of high-fructose hydrolyzed corn syrup.
This sweetener has replaced glucose in a host of prepared foods because of its low cost and high sweetening power. It is estimated that the consumption of fructose in humans increased 1000-fold between 1970 and 1990.
Pierre Lefrançois – PasseportSanté.net
1. Liu H, Huang D, et al. Fructose induces transketolase flux to promote pancreatic cancer growth. Cancer Res. 2010 Aug 1; 70 (15): 6368-76.