Obesity increases the risk of certain breast cancers, but scientists are still learning why. This study looked at how free fatty acids—which are higher in people with obesity— affect breast cancer cells. Researchers found that these fatty acids can change how cancer cells make and use energy, helping tumors grow faster. To conduct this research, they used patient samples, including breast tissue collected from the Komen Tissue Bank, to better understand real-world cancer biology.
They discovered that these changes happen through signals involving the estrogen receptor and mTOR, two key pathways that control cell growth. By understanding how obesity “feeds” cancer through these signals, this study helps explain why breast cancer can be more aggressive in people with obesity—and may point to new ways to treat it.
