How dietary fats affect breast cancer in people with obesity
Dietary lipids as drivers and therapeutic targets in obesity-accelerated breast cancer
Researchers are looking at whether breast cancers in people with obesity feed on fatty acids instead of sugar and whether blocking that could slow tumor growth.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Salt Lake City, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11179310 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
People with obesity often have more aggressive breast cancers, and this project looks at how extra dietary fats might help tumors grow. The team will use laboratory models and human tumor samples to trace whether breast cancer cells prefer free fatty acids over glucose and to map where those fats come from. They will study how fat tissue around the tumor or fats from the bloodstream support tumor growth and follow the metabolic fate of absorbed fatty acids. Finally, the researchers will explore whether blocking tumor use of these fats could lead to new treatment options for patients with obesity.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with breast cancer who are living with obesity—particularly postmenopausal women—would be the most relevant candidates for trials or sample donation related to this work.
Not a fit: People without obesity or whose tumors do not rely on fatty acids are less likely to benefit from therapies that target fat metabolism.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to new treatments that block tumor use of dietary fats and improve outcomes for people with obesity and breast cancer.
How similar studies have performed: Preclinical studies indicate some breast cancers use fatty acids, but clinical proof that targeting fat metabolism improves outcomes remains limited.
Where this research is happening
Salt Lake City, United States
- Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah — Salt Lake City, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chaix, Amandine H. — Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah
- Study coordinator: Chaix, Amandine H.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.