Dylan Stoll | Health Editor
Featured Image: Just like your parents told you, too much pop isn’t good for you. | Courtesy of Pixabay
High fructose corn syrup (HFCS), a main ingredient of soda pop beverages, has been linked to the growth of colorectal tumours. The study, completed by a team of researchers at Weill Cornell and New York-Presbyterian, aimed to determine whether mice that were specially bred to produce colorectal tumours would experience a change in the growth of their tumours based on their HFCS intake.
The mice were given the equivalent HFCS amount found in a single can of soda, once a day, over the course of eight weeks. It was found that the mice with the higher HFCS intake grew larger tumours, though the team said more research is required to finalize this discovery.
“The study shows that colorectal polyps feed on high-fructose corn syrup and explains the molecular mechanism by which this drives the growth of the tumour,” said Dr. Lewis Cantley, a co-author of the study.
“While our work was conducted in mice, our findings build on mounting evidence that sugar fuels cancer growth.”
As it would seem that sugar plays a significant role in the growth of tumours, if you are a sufferer of colorectal cancer or at high-risk for developing the ailment, it is advised that you reduce your sugar intake as much as possible.
“If you have colorectal cancer, you could be feeding your tumour by drinking high-fructose corn syrup,” said lead author Dr. Marcus Goncalves.
Though colorectal cancer is relatively uncommon in younger generations, recently the numbers have been increasing. Incidences of colorectal cancers in men under the age of 50 have increased by 3.5 per cent from 2010 to 2015, and for women, they have increased by 4.5 per cent. “We thought this would level off with the newer data, but it continues to go up,” said Darren Brenner, a cancer researcher at the University of Calgary.
Aside from colorectal cancers being hereditary, the causes have also been linked to smoking, drinking, obesity, diabetes, and a lack of physical activity — even more specifically, a sedentary lifestyle, like watching TV or playing video games.
With this trend on a frightening rise, younger adults should remember that cancers, whether they are colorectal or not, affect all age groups, and should not be overlooked. If you are experiencing symptoms such as gastric reflux, bloating, blood or a change in the consistency of the stool, a visit to the doctor is recommended.
