Khaberni - Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have revealed a possible link between high-fat diets and an increased risk of liver cancer, an interpretation that may contribute to understanding the rapid rise in the incidence and mortality rates of this type of cancer in the United Kingdom.
According to data from Liver Cancer UK, about 6,600 people are diagnosed with liver cancer annually, while about 6,300 die from the disease, making it the fastest rising cancer in terms of mortality over the past decade, amid rising obesity rates and fatty liver disease and difficulty of early detection, according to The Sun newspaper.
Deceptive Symptoms Delay Diagnosis
Experts confirm that liver cancer symptoms are often mild and nonspecific, resembling the flu or indigestion, leading to late-stage disease discovery. Data indicates that about 60% of patients die within one year of diagnosis.
Early symptoms of fatty liver cancer may include:
Loss of appetite and nausea or vomiting
Persistent fatigue and lack of energy
General malaise
Symptoms resembling the flu
Indigestion or feeling of being quickly full
Unexplained weight loss
Advanced symptoms include:
Pain or bloating in the abdomen
A mass on the right side of the abdomen
Upper abdominal pain or right shoulder pain
Jaundice, dark urine, pale stool, persistent itching
Saturated Fats Under Scrutiny
The study indicated that excessive intake of saturated fats found in fatty meats, sausages, butter, cheese, and sweets is one of the major risk factors.
Researchers also pointed out that some diets marketed as "healthy" like the ketogenic diet, could actually lead to a long-term high fat consumption.
The ketogenic diet relies heavily on reducing carbohydrates significantly in favor of increasing fats and protein, to force the body to burn fats as an energy source. Reality TV star Kim Kardashian previously revealed that she followed this regimen to lose weight, and she successfully lost about 60 pounds post-pregnancy.
How Fats Pave the Way for Cancer?
The study published in Cell magazine showed that chronic exposure to fatty foods pushes liver cells into a survival mode, activating genes that reduce cell death and promote their growth, but disable genes responsible for the liver's normal functions.
Alex Shalek, director of the Institute for Medical Engineering and Science at MIT, explained that continuous exposure to a high-fat diet encourages cells to adopt mechanisms that help them adapt to stress, but this occurs at the expense of increasing their susceptibility to cancer transformation.
Co-researcher Konstantin Tzouanas added that liver cells enter into a cellular trade-off that prioritizes their individual survival over the functions of liver tissue, creating a favorable environment for tumor formation when subsequent genetic mutations occur.
Crucial Results on Animals and Similar Signals in Humans
Experiments on mice showed that most were diagnosed with liver cancer after following a high-fat diet. When analyzing human samples, researchers noted a similar genetic pattern, characterized by a decline in genes supporting liver functions, alongside a rise in genes associated with immature cells more prone to cancerous transformation.
The team was also able to predict patient survival rates based on genetic expression patterns, linking high-fat diets to shorter survival periods after tumor development.
20 Years of Deterioration.. and Searching for Solutions
Researchers estimated that the development of liver cancer in humans could take about 20 years, depending on diet, obesity, and alcohol consumption. The team continues to explore the possibility of reversing some of these changes through a balanced diet or using weight loss drugs.
