Leuven scientists battle cancer by starving cells

The growth of cancer tumours could be battled by impeding the burning of fatty acids by cancer cells. The discovery was made by scientists from the University of Leuven and the life sciences research centre VIB, and their insights will be published in the science magazine Nature.

To grow, cancer cells need food substances that are supplied through blood. Cancer cells therefore produce proteins that encourage the formation of blood vessels, known as angiogenesis. Anti-angiogenic therapies aim to prevent this mechanism.

These therapies currently focus primarily on proteins, but this is not an optimal strategy, as the cancer cells can still find ways to stimulate blood vessel formation. Impeding the burning or breakdown of fatty acids should be a more efficient treatment. By blocking the breakdown of fatty acids in the endothelial cells, the cells will be starved, so the division of these cells is impeded, resulting in the prevention of new blood vessel formation.

Experiments have shown that the Leuven researchers’ strategy works in mice. “This is an indication that blocking fatty acid breakdown could form a possible therapeutic pathway in the battle against cancer, but also in the battle against eye diseases leading to blindness,” they said in a statement. “However, many more years of research are required to confirm these results.”

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