A new study from IRB Barcelona has found a worrying link between a type of fatty acid found in palm oil, called palmitic acid, and the spread of certain cancers.
The research, led by Professor Salvador Aznar-Benitah and published in Nature, shows that palmitic acid encourages metastasis — the process where cancer spreads from one part of the body to another — in oral cancer and melanoma.
Metastasis is the main cause of death for cancer patients. While treatments can help control metastatic cancer, curing it is often very difficult. This study adds to growing evidence that diet, and specifically the types of fatty acids we eat, can affect how cancer spreads.
Fatty acids are the building blocks of fats and are found both in our bodies and in food. However, they don’t all affect health in the same way. The researchers found that palmitic acid greatly increased cancer spread, while other fatty acids like oleic acid (found in olive oil) and linoleic acid (found in flaxseeds) did not have the same harmful effect.
One of the most concerning findings is that palmitic acid not only helps cancer spread but also makes long-term changes to cancer cells’ genetic activity.
These changes, called epigenetic modifications, alter how genes work without changing the DNA itself. Even after removing palmitic acid from the diet, the cancer cells ‘remembered’ the exposure, stayed highly metastatic, and were able to spread more easily.
In mouse studies, adding palmitic acid to the diet not only boosted cancer spread but also reprogrammed the cells to build a neural network around tumors. This network allowed cancer cells to communicate better with surrounding tissues, helping them survive and grow in other parts of the body.
The study found that these epigenetic changes help cancer cells settle and thrive in new areas, making them more aggressive and harder to treat. The research team is now working on therapies that can block this process.
They plan to test these treatments in clinical trials for different cancer types. If they work, these therapies could slow or stop the spread of cancer.
However, the researchers warn that it’s too soon to recommend strict dietary changes for cancer patients. While lowering palmitic acid intake may seem like a good idea, more research is needed to prove its benefits.
Since palm oil is found in many processed foods, these results also raise broader questions about diet and cancer prevention. In the future, dietary advice — especially for people at higher risk — may need to consider the effects of certain fatty acids.
This research highlights the possible dangers of palmitic acid for cancer progression and shows why understanding the link between diet and disease is so important. As studies continue, diet could become a bigger part of how doctors approach both cancer treatment and prevention.
If you care about cancer, please read studies about Scientists find important cause of pancreatic cancer and findings of Scientists find a big cause of liver cancer.
For more information about cancer, please read studies about Research shows a surprising cause of cancer and findings of The surprising impact of anxiety drugs on pancreatic cancer survival.
Copyright © 2025 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
