News Health & Medicine

Linking obesity with leukemia relapses

Fat may offer sanctuary for cancerous cells, a study in mice shows

By Nathan Seppa

- More than 2 years ago

In leukemia patients, excess fatty tissue allows cancerous cells to avoid destruction by chemotherapy drugs, a study in mice suggests.

BLENDING IN This image shows fat cells (in red) from an obese mouse with leukemia. The bright spots are cancerous cells nestled into a layer of fat cells.