The Cause of One of the Most Dangerous Types of Cancer Revealed 0 8

Scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have discovered why a high-fat diet sharply increases the risk of liver cancer. As shown by a study published in the journal Cell, under the influence of chronic fat overload, liver cells undergo reprogramming and transition to a more 'immature,' stem-like state, making them vulnerable to carcinogenic mutations.

In experiments on mice, researchers found that hepatocytes—the main liver cells—activate survival genes and suppress programs responsible for normal metabolism in response to a fatty diet. This reprogramming helps cells survive inflammation and toxic stress, but at the same time deprives the tissue of protective mechanisms that restrain uncontrolled division.

As fatty liver disease progresses—from inflammation to fibrosis and then to tumors—these changes accumulate, and almost all animals ultimately develop liver cancer. Similar shifts in gene expression were found in human liver samples: a decrease in the 'working' functions of the organ was associated with an increase in signs of cellular immaturity and a worse survival prognosis for patients.

The authors emphasize that the process in humans likely spans decades, but the identified molecular switches could become targets for preventive drugs. In the future, this opens the way for treatments that not only combat the consequences of fatty liver disease but also reduce the risk of its progression to cancer.