Food insecurity has been identified as a significant factor contributing to tumor growth in pediatric neuroblastoma, one of the most lethal childhood cancers. This condition, which affects a disproportionate number of children from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds, has long been associated with poor survival rates. Despite advances in treatment, children facing economic hardships continue to experience worse outcomes, highlighting a complex relationship between social circumstances and health.
Research Uncovers Biological Links
A team at the University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital has made strides in understanding this link. Led by Erika Newman, M.D., Section Head of Pediatric Surgery and Associate Director for Health Equity at the Rogel Comprehensive Cancer Center, the researchers developed an innovative murine cancer model to explore how social determinants like food insecurity influence tumor biology. This research builds upon findings from the National Institutes of Health’s Children’s Oncology Group, which previously indicated that poverty adversely impacts survival rates in pediatric cancers.
The study, published in Communications Biology, utilized a murine model that simulated food insecurity by intermittently varying access to food. This approach aimed to replicate the unpredictable nutrition that many families face. The researchers employed established neuroblastoma xenograft models to observe the effects of this stressor on tumor growth and biological responses.
Findings Highlight Urgent Health Disparities
The results revealed significant differences between the experimental group subjected to food insecurity and the control group. Tumors in the food-insecure group were notably larger and bulkier, characterized by elevated levels of stress hormones such as corticosterone and the activation of tumor survival pathways.
“Our work builds on decades of clinical evidence linking poverty and food insecurity to poorer cancer outcomes,” said Dr. Newman. “We set out to define the biology behind those disparities, to show how social conditions can become embedded in the body and influence how tumors grow.”
This research provides a framework that connects social determinants of health with the molecular pathways involved in cancer progression. The implications are significant, paving the way for future studies focused on how interventions that address nutrition and stress could improve treatment responses for affected children.
Dr. Newman emphasizes the critical nature of these findings, especially in light of ongoing discussions regarding federal nutrition programs. Potential interruptions to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) could exacerbate food insecurity among vulnerable populations, further impacting health outcomes.
She advocates for the systematic screening of social determinants such as food insecurity and economic strain within pediatric and oncology practices. “The environments our patients live in—access to food, stability, and safety—are not merely background conditions,” Dr. Newman stated. “They are part of the biology we must confront if we want equitable outcomes.”
The study underscores the necessity for healthcare systems to consider the realities that families face. Addressing these social drivers alongside biological factors is essential for improving health outcomes in pediatric oncology.
For further reading, see the research by Keyonna Williams et al. titled “Food insecurity impacts neuroblastoma pathogenesis in murine xenograft tumor models,” published in Communications Biology (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s42003-025-08678-5.
