Scientists from the University of Hong Kong have discovered that some types of fat in our diet can help the immune system fight cancer more effectively.
They found that oleic acid—a healthy fat found in olive oil, nuts, and avocados—can boost the power of a special type of immune cell called γδ-T cells. These cells are known for their ability to attack and destroy cancer cells.
On the other hand, they found that another type of fat, called palmitic acid, which is common in palm oil, fatty meats, and processed foods, can actually weaken these same immune cells. This means that what we eat may have a big impact on how well our immune system can fight cancer.
The study was led by Professor Tu Wenwei and published in the journal Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy. The researchers were interested in how different dietary fats affect the success of immunotherapy, a type of cancer treatment that helps the immune system target and kill cancer cells.
In particular, they focused on a powerful treatment that uses γδ-T cells to treat cancers like lung and liver cancer.
The team found that patients with higher levels of oleic acid in their bodies tended to have better results from this kind of therapy. In contrast, patients with more palmitic acid in their systems had worse outcomes.
They also discovered that oleic acid can undo some of the damage caused by palmitic acid. This works through a pathway involving a protein called IFNγ, which is important for immune cell activity.
This research suggests that simple changes in diet—like eating more olive oil, nuts, and avocados, and avoiding foods high in palm oil and saturated fats—could help make cancer treatments more effective. For people undergoing γδ-T cell therapy, this kind of personalized nutrition could give their immune system a helpful boost.
Professor Tu explained that this is the first time scientists have shown that the fats we eat can directly affect how well our immune system fights cancer. The study opens up new possibilities for combining healthy diets with cancer treatments, and even designing new medicines that mimic the helpful effects of oleic acid.
Overall, the findings point to a powerful and simple idea: changing what we eat could make cancer therapies work better. This exciting research may lead to new treatment plans that include both medicine and nutrition to help more people beat cancer.
If you care about cancer, please read studies about a new method to treat cancer effectively, and this low-dose, four-drug combo may block cancer spread.
For more information about cancer prevention, please see recent studies about nutrient in fish that can be a poison for cancer, and results showing this daily vitamin is critical to cancer prevention.
The study is published in Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy.
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