Role of lipid metabolism in driving metastasis in liposarcoma

Understanding how an appetite for fat tissue may drive metastasis in myxoid liposarcoma 

Metastasis is responsible for nearly 90 per cent of all cancer-related deaths. Yet the biological drivers that enable cancer cells to spread to distant parts of the body remain poorly understood. 

Huilin Niu (Western University) is hoping to shed new light on these processes thanks to new funding from the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network’s Health Informatics and Data Science Award. Focusing specifically on a rare form of soft tissue cancer called myxoid liposarcoma, Niu will use the funding to try to determine why these cancers have a unique appetite for lipid tissue (aka fat tissue), and whether this plays a role in fueling their spread. 

“Our goal is to gain critical insights into the role of fats in cancer metastasis, opening new possibilities for treatments that target these processes,” she says. “By studying myxoid liposarcoma, which has the distinct characteristic of spreading to areas with high amount of lipid tissue, we aim to improve understanding of a rare cancer while also uncovering general principles of metastasis that can be applied to other cancers.” 

To achieve this goal, Niu will develop a computational tool that mines through massive amounts of cancer case data, including genomic sequencing data generated through the Network, to better understand the specific characteristics that cause myxoid liposarcoma to metabolize fats as it spreads throughout the body.  By linking gene activity to tumour spread patterns, Niu aims to identify metabolic, genetic, and immune-related drivers of metastasis. Her work may not only improve outcomes for patients, but also reveal broader insights into the biology of metastatic cancer. 

Funding envelope 

Over the next year, Niu will receive $20.5k from the Network as part of this award, which will be matched by her host institution for a total of $41k.  

“I am honored to receive the Health Informatics and Data Science Award from MOHCCN, and deeply grateful to my mentor and lab mates for their guidance and support,” she said. 

Dr. Tallulah Andrews, who will mentor Niu as part of this award, highlighted its potential for impact: 

"Metastasis is the cause of 90 per cent of cancer related deaths, with minimal options of treatment,” she said. “Huilin’s project will uncover mechanisms of metastasis development, and how these vary between different cancer types and secondary tissues. By combining new cases sequenced as part of the MOHCCN with existing data on metabolism, tumour immunology and gene regulation, we will determine the underlying pathways that drive metastasis in these cancers and how these could be targeted by novel therapies."