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A study led by researchers at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center found that a dietary form of a naturally occurring molecule called calcium alpha-ketoglutarate, or Ca-αKG, reduced lung tumor growth in female mice and activated genes associated with better outcomes in women with lung cancer. The researchers also found that Ca-αKG had the opposite effect in male mice, where it was associated with larger tumors and increased tumor-cell proliferation.

The findings, published in the journal Cell Reports, suggest that Ca-αKG may influence lung cancer primarily through epigenetic changes—chemical modifications that help control which genes are turned on or off—rather than by changing the cancer cells' basic energy metabolism. The study highlights the importance of considering biological sex and tumor genetics when developing metabolic approaches to cancer prevention and treatment.

"These findings offer a glimpse into the complicated relationship among metabolism, cancer and biological sex," said Dr. Claudio Scafoglio, associate professor of pulmonary and critical care medicine at UCLA and senior author of the study. "The fact that we observed opposite responses in male and female mice underscores the importance of understanding how sex and tumor genetics shape the response to these types of interventions."

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, and lung adenocarcinoma accounts for a large proportion of cases. Although targeted therapies and immunotherapies have improved outcomes for some patients, researchers continue to search for new approaches to prevent or slow the disease.

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