A new study from the Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah suggests that certain fats in the body may be feeding one of the most aggressive forms of breast cancer.
The research focused on triple-negative breast cancer, which is hard to treat and more common in people with obesity. The scientists found that this cancer type grows faster when the body has more lipids—fatty substances found in the blood.
This discovery could lead to new ways to treat breast cancer by lowering lipid levels, and it may also impact diet choices for patients.
Triple-negative breast cancer is a serious form of cancer that lacks three common markers used in other breast cancer treatments. Because of this, it is more difficult to target with common drugs. The research team found that lipids, which are common in people with obesity, may help these cancer cells grow faster.
Lipids are a natural part of our bodies, but people with obesity often have higher levels of them in their blood. This condition is called hyperlipidemia.
The researchers studied this by using mice that had either a high-fat diet or were engineered to have high lipid levels without other obesity traits like high blood sugar or insulin levels. In both cases, the presence of more lipids made breast cancer grow faster.
The scientists explained this by comparing lipids to building blocks. When cells get the message to grow and divide, they need materials to build new cells. Lipids help form the outer layer of cells. So, if the body has more lipids available, cancer cells can multiply more easily.
One of the most promising parts of the study showed that reducing lipid levels slowed down cancer growth—even when other obesity-related factors like insulin and glucose were still high. This could be important because there are already medications that lower lipids in the blood. If lowering lipids can also slow cancer, this could offer a new treatment path.
However, the researchers were cautious. These results were found in mice, and mice are not the same as humans. More studies in people are needed to confirm if the same thing happens in human breast cancer.
The findings may also change how patients with obesity approach weight loss during or after breast cancer treatment. Right now, doctors often recommend weight loss because obesity increases the risk of cancer returning or spreading. But there’s little guidance on which diets are safe or effective.
Some patients might choose the popular keto diet, which is high in fat and low in carbohydrates. The idea is to make the body burn fat for energy. While this can lead to weight loss, the new research warns that high-fat diets may also raise lipid levels, possibly feeding the tumor.
The researchers suggest that patients with breast cancer and a high body mass index (BMI) should work closely with their doctors to create a weight loss plan. This may include diet and medication options that help reduce fat in the blood. They advise avoiding high-fat diets like keto, especially for patients who already have high cholesterol.
Interestingly, the study may also apply to other types of cancer like ovarian or colon cancer, which could also grow faster in people with high lipid levels. The research team plans to study how fat-lowering drugs could improve cancer treatment in the future.
In summary, this study shows that lipids may do more than just store energy—they might also help cancer grow. For patients and doctors, this means that controlling fat levels in the blood could become an important part of cancer care. While more research is needed, this discovery opens the door to new treatments and gives new meaning to the saying, “You are what you eat.”
If you care about cancer, please see recent studies about new way to increase the longevity of cancer survivors, and results showing new way to supercharge cancer-fighting T cells.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about how drinking milk affects risks of heart disease and cancer and results showing that vitamin D supplements could strongly reduce cancer death.
The study is published in Cancer & Metabolism.
Copyright © 2025 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
