Experts warn against overuse of seed and vegetable oils, citing concerns about inflammation and a potential link to aggressive breast cancer. New research from Weill Cornell Medicine suggests that linoleic acid, a fat found in these oils, may promote the growth of breast cancer cells.
Specifically, the study indicates that consistent consumption of linoleic acid could increase the risk of developing triple-negative breast cancer, an invasive form known for its rapid spread and lower survival rate (77%) compared to regular breast cancer (90%).
Linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid found in seed oils such as soybean and safflower oil, and animal products including pork and eggs, specifically enhances the growth of the hard-to-treat “triple negative” breast cancer subtype, according to a preclinical study led by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators. The discovery could lead to new dietary and pharmaceutical strategies against breast and other cancers.
In the study, published March 14 in Science, the researchers found that linoleic acid can activate a major growth pathway in tumour cells by binding to a protein called FABP5. Comparing breast cancer subtypes, the team observed that this growth pathway activation occurs in triple-negative tumour cells, where FABP5 is particularly abundant, but not in other hormone-sensitive subtypes. In a mouse model of triple-negative breast cancer, a diet high in linoleic acid enhanced tumour growth.
