Here's a novel idea for breast cancer prevention: stop eating too much sugar!

According to researchers in the Journal of Investigation, "a dramatic increase in sugar uptake could be a cause of cancer. Furthermore, through a series of painstaking analysis, we have discovered two new pathways through which increased uptake of glucose could itself activate other oncogenic pathways. This discovery provides possible new targets for diagnosis and therapeutics."

They examined the expression of glucose transporter proteins in human breast cells. The focus was on the glucose transporter known as GLUT3, the concentrations of which showed are 400 times greater in malignant than in non-malignant breast cells. Overexpression of GLUT3 in the non-malignant human breast cells activated known oncogenic signaling pathways and led to the loss of tissue polarity and the onset of cancerous growth.

These researchers began exploring the relationship between aerobic glycolysis and malignant cells more than 40 years ago. However, the hypothesis became controversial. Even now the majority view holds that increased sugar uptake in cells is the result of the intense metabolic demands of tumor cells and not a cause of malignant transformation.

The findings help explain why blood sugar disorders in diseases such as obesity and diabetes can raise the risk of breast and other cancers.