Overview

• MD Anderson researchers report that a glucose–fructose combination common to sugary drinks directly accelerated colorectal cancer spread in laboratory and animal models.
• Only the mixed sugars, not glucose or fructose alone, increased cancer cell mobility and hastened metastasis to the liver, the most frequent site of spread.
• The sugar mix activated sorbitol dehydrogenase (SORD), boosting glucose metabolism and triggering a cholesterol-production pathway linked to metastatic behavior.
• Blocking SORD slowed metastatic progression despite exposure to the sugar mix, highlighting SORD as a potential therapeutic target.
• Because statins inhibit the same cholesterol pathway, the authors suggest testing statin repurposing and reduced sugary-drink intake in patients, noting the evidence remains preclinical and requires clinical validation.