Dietary supplement may influence lung tumor growth differently in females and males

Graphical abstract. Credit: Cell Reports (2026).

DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2026.118052 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.

First reported by Medical Xpress.