A team at USF Health and Tampa General Hospital identified a potential link between ultra-processed foods and the chronic inflammation that drives tumor growth in colorectal cancer. “Our bodies are designed to actively resolve inflammation through bioactive lipid compounds derived from the healthy fats,” says USF’s Ganesh Halade. If the bioactive lipids come from processed foods, they imbalance the immune system, driving inflammation.

Halade used a sensitive analytical technique to detect trace amounts of lipids in 162 patient tumor samples. The team found an excess number of molecules that promote inflammation and a shortage of those that help resolve it. The study paves the way for a new therapy, resolution medicine, focused on restoring balance in the patient’s diet to reduce inflammation and potentially treat colorectal cancer.

• Ganesh Halade