Frequent peanut consumption by cancer patients increases risk of cancer metastasis: Study
UK: A recent study, published in the journal Carcinogenesis, has identified new factors to pile on previous findings that showed frequent peanut consumption by cancer patients to be associated with increased risk of cancer spread.
Researchers from the University of Liverpool showed that peanut agglutinin (PNA) – a carbohydrate-binding protein rapidly enters into the blood circulation after peanuts consumption. It then interacts with blood vascular wall (endothelial) cells producing molecules called cytokines (IL-6 and MCP-1) -- promoters of cancer metastasis. The increased cytokine production causes other endothelial cells to express more cell surface adhesion molecules, making them more attractive to the circulating tumor cells and thus potentially promoting metastasis.
In an earlier study, Corresponding Author Professor Lu-Gang Yu and colleagues reported that circulating PNA binds to a special sugar chain, which occurs mainly on pre-cancerous and cancer cells, and interacts with a larger protein expressed on the surface of tumor cells in the bloodstream.
This interaction triggers changes in the larger protein, resulting in underlying adhesion molecules on the surface of the cancer cell to become exposed, making the cancer cells stickier and easier to attach themselves to the blood vessels. It also allows the cancer cells to form small clumps that prolong the survival of cancer cells in the body's circulation. Many epithelial cancers spread to the other organs through traveling through the bloodstream.
DOI: https://academic.oup.com/carcin/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/carcin/bgab059/6315265
Disclaimer: This website is primarily for healthcare professionals. The content here does not replace medical advice and should not be used as medical, diagnostic, endorsement, treatment, or prescription advice. Medical science evolves rapidly, and we strive to keep our information current. If you find any discrepancies, please contact us at corrections@medicaldialogues.in. Read our Correction Policy here. Nothing here should be used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We do not endorse any healthcare advice that contradicts a physician's guidance. Use of this site is subject to our Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and Advertisement Policy. For more details, read our Full Disclaimer here.
NOTE: Join us in combating medical misinformation. If you encounter a questionable health, medical, or medical education claim, email us at factcheck@medicaldialogues.in for evaluation.