Inhibitory effect of dietary inulin or oligofructose on the development of cancer metastases.

The possible influence of continuous dietary treatment with 15% inulin or oligofructose on the development of lung metastases of a transplantable liver tumor in young male C3H mice was investigated. Microscopical examination demonstrated a distinct inhibitory effect of this dietary treatment on the development of lung metastases of this tumor. There were 59% of mice bearing lung metastases in the control group, 36% in the inulin fed group and 35% in the oligofructose fed group. The total number of lung metastases was 37 in the control group, 18 in inulin fed and 6 in oligofructose fed mice. Several possible, mechanisms hypothetically involved in this astonishing inhibition of the development of lung metastases by dietary treatment with inulin or oligofructose are discussed.