We've known for years now that obese people are more at risk for developing cancer, now not only the cause but also the treatment may be "shared".
The Wake Forest University School of Medicine found a link between an enzyme that regulates fat production and cancer in patients. Basically, cancer patients who take Orlistat, an obesity drug, stop tumor development.
The enzyme responsible is the fatty acid synthase, and by blocking it you can effectively prevent tumor growth and promote cell death.
The real breakthrough here is that people had not really linked the ER (a location in the cell where the enzyme is necessary to maintain cell function) is also responsible for keeping tumor cells alive.
