TAMPA, Fla. — Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.
A new study conducted by researchers at USF Health and Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute has uncovered a potential link between the Western diet filled with ultra-processed foods and unhealthy oils and the chronic inflammation that drives tumor growth.
"If we give the molecules from the healthy fat, is it able to control or limit the tumor to some extent or control the inflammation because the inflammation, once things go uncontrolled, then it’s very difficult to control that one," said Ganesh Halade, an associate professor at the USF Health Heart Institute and member of the Cancer Biology Program at TGH Cancer Institute.
Researchers believe the food on our plates may fuel cancer.
“It is well known that patients with unhealthy diets have increased inflammation in their bodies,” said Dr. Timothy Yeatman, professor of surgery at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicineand associate center director for Translational Research and Innovation at the TGH Cancer Institute. “We now see this inflammation in the colon tumors themselves, and cancer is like a chronic wound that won’t heal. If your body is living off of daily ultra-processed foods, its ability to heal that wound decreases due to the inflammation and suppression of the immune system that ultimately allows the cancer to grow."
Ganesh Halade showed ABC Action News around the lab. He is studying tumors from patients with colorectal cancer at Tampa General Hospital.
The tumors were frozen within 30 minutes of removal and transported to the lab via USF and TGH Cancer Institute's Biobank.
Researchers observed an excess number of molecules that promote inflammation and a shortage of those that help resolve it and promote healing. These findings are paving the way for resolution medicine, which focuses on restoring balance in the patient's diet to treat colorectal cancer more effectively.
“A human’s immune system can be extremely powerful and drastically impact the tumor microenvironment, which is great if harnessed correctly for health and wellness,” Yeatman said. “But not if it’s suppressed by inflammatory lipids from processed foods.”
Resolution medicine would focus on reversing inflammation using healthy, unprocessed foods rich with omega-3 fatty acids and derivatives of fish oil called “specialized pro-resolving mediators” to restore the body’s healing mechanisms along with balanced sleep and exercise.
“This has the potential to revolutionize cancer treatment, moving beyond drugs to harness natural healing processes,” Yeatman said. “It’s a vital step toward addressing chronic inflammation and preventing diseases before they start.”
Early trials using specialized derivatives of fish oil have shown promise in addressing inflammation at its root cause. The trials are underway at TGH Cancer Institute and the team will continue studying resolution medicine and its impact on patient treatment and disease prevention.
The research is funded by the National Institutes of Health through a five-year, $3.1 million grant.
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