Study shows high-fat diets give liver cancer a dangerous head start

January 6, 2026 12:18 PM

Study shows high-fat diets give liver cancer a dangerous head start

Prolonged consumption of high-fat diets can push liver cells into a stress-survival mode that significantly increases the risk of cancer, according to a new study by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The research shows that repeated exposure to fatty foods causes mature liver cells, known as hepatocytes, to lose their specialised functions and revert to a more primitive, stem-cell-like state. While this shift helps the cells survive metabolic stress, it also leaves the l...

Intermittent fasting protects against liver inflammation, cancer: study

May 16, 2024 9:22 PM

Intermittent fasting protects against liver inflammation, cancer: study

Fatty liver disease, often leading to chronic liver inflammation and potentially liver cancer, is a significant health concern. Researchers at the German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ) and the University of Tubingen have discovered in mice that intermittent fasting, particularly on a 5:2 schedule, can halt this progression. Fasting appears to reduce the development of liver cancer in mice already experiencing liver inflammation. Scientists identified two proteins in liver cells responsible for t...