Inserm UMR 1069 - Équipe Nutrition, Croissance et Cancer (N2C)

Our overall objective is to identify nutritional lipids of interest for oncology. Our project is positioned at the intersection of the two fields of cancer and nutrition, with specific expertises in chemistry/biochemistry of lipids from adipose tissues, tumors and cell membranes.

We have identified the predictive value of diet-related composition of breast adipose tissue (lipidome) on breast cancer development and metastasis. We have also described the potential benefits of the clinical use of lipid nutrients in order to increase patients’ survival by promoting anticancer treatment efficiency. Cancer-induced cachexia, a progressive alteration in the nutritional status of patients that drastically impairs cancer treatments and affects survival, is also investigated.

Our project, transverse in its expertises (biochemistry, physiology, metabolism, surgery, anatomopathology, nutrition and oncology) and resources, aims at investigating the cellular and molecular mechanisms of action of lipids (ether-lipids, cardiolipins, sterols, polyunsaturated fatty acids) to regulate cancer cachexia and tumor progression. The objective is to facilitate the transfer of such fundamental knowledge to patients developing chemo-or hormono-resistant cancers and/or metastases and/or cancer-induced cachexia.

The number of UMR1069 members has increased from 30 in 2011 to 52 in 2016 (including PhD students).