Cancer is the result of a complex interplay between our genes and environmental factors, such as diet, exercise, and pollution. While the exact mechanisms linking poor diet to cancer risk are not yet fully understood, Professor Venkitaraman, Director of the Cancer Science Institute of Singapore (CSI Singapore) at NUS, emphasizes the importance of unraveling this connection to develop effective preventive measures.
Investigating the Link Between Diet and Cancer Risk
The research team, which includes scientists from NUS, NUS Centre for Cancer Research, and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), first focused on patients with a high risk of breast or ovarian cancer due to inheriting a faulty copy of the cancer gene — BRCA2 — from their parents. Their study revealed that these patients’ cells were particularly sensitive to methylglyoxal, a chemical produced when cells break down glucose to generate energy. The team discovered that methylglyoxal can cause DNA faults, which serve as early warning signs of cancer development.