A new international study has revealed a strong connection between poor diet and the development of lung adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer.
Researchers from the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center and the University of Florida’s UF Health Cancer Center found that a high-fat, high-carbohydrate diet increases the growth of lung tumours by increasing glycogen, the stored form of glucose, in the lungs.
The findings, released on March 28, 2025, in Nature Metabolism, show that lung tumour growth reduced sharply when glycogen production was blocked. This discovery, backed by the National Institutes of Health, sheds new light on how dietary habits directly influence cancer progression.
Lung adenocarcinoma accounts for around 40% of all lung cancer cases globally and is often detected at later stages.
The new evidence suggests that, alongside quitting smoking, eating a healthier diet and staying physically active can significantly reduce the risk and improve outcomes.
The research team consisted of Matthew Gentry, PhD, and Ramon Sun, PhD, who initiated the study at the University of Kentucky before continuing it in Florida. Key contributions also came from the UK’s Dr Derek Allison and Dr Christine Brainson, who worked on tissue analysis and toxicology.
Using spatial metabolomics, the team found that patients with higher glycogen levels in their tumours had shorter survival rates.
They also discovered three existing drugs that might be repurposed to lower glycogen and potentially treat lung adenocarcinoma more effectively.
The researchers first became interested in glycogen while studying Lafora disease, a rare brain disorder. That work led them to explore the unexpected role of glycogen in lung cancer, opening a new path in cancer research and treatment.
The study received support under NIH grants R01CA237643, P30CA177558, and P20GM121327.
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