The Study
Multi-omics analysis reveals immunosuppression in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma induced by creatine accumulation and HK3 deficiency
This study found that people with a certain type of esophageal cancer tend to have more creatine and less HK3 in their tumors, and their immune cells look weaker. It’s like noticing that people who eat a lot of candy also have more cavities—but it doesn’t prove candy causes cavities, just that they often happen together.
Analysis score
Maximum 44 for a cross-sectional study.
Where the score came from
Some cancers, like esophageal cancer, get stronger when they have too much creatine and not enough HK3 — two chemicals that help cells use energy.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 544 / 100
Quality score
Snapshots of a population at a single point in time, or descriptions of small groups. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine cause and effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — this means patients with this metabolic pattern are much more likely to die sooner or see their cancer spread faster.
- 2Patients with high creatine and low HK3 had over 90% accurate diagnosis as high-risk; mice with extra creatine and no HK3 grew bigger tumors and had more immune-suppressing cells.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Genome Medicine
Year
2025
Authors
Yingzhen Gao, Siyu He, Xiaoyan Meng, Kun Zheng, H. Cui, Yikun Cheng, Xinyuan Shen, Y. Zhai, Binbin Zou, Fang Wang, Hongyi Li, Pengzhou Kong, Yanqiang Wang, Xuefei Feng, Bin Yang, Ruifang Sun, Yongsheng Meng, Enwei Xu, Yanlin Guo, Ning Ding, Weimin Zhang, Xiaolong Cheng, Lunzhi Dai, Yongping Cui, Ling Zhang
Related Content
Claims (6)
In human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, higher levels of creatine are linked to decreased activity in complement and innate immune pathways, lower infiltration of immune cells, and increased tumor purity regardless of tumor stage.
In patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, higher tumor creatine levels and lower hexokinase 3 expression are linked to more M2-like macrophages, fewer cytotoxic immune cells, and shorter survival times.
In esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, low levels of hexokinase 3 correlate with greater immune cell presence and longer survival, and when hexokinase 3 is deficient along with high creatine, M2 macrophage polarization increases and tumor progression accelerates.
In mice with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, consuming creatine and removing the HK3 gene each increase tumor growth and shift immune cells in the tumor environment to a state that suppresses immune responses.
In esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, patients with high creatine and low hexokinase 3 levels are consistently identified as a high-risk subgroup with poor prognosis, and this combination correctly classifies over 90% of patients in tested groups.
Creatine supplementation increases T-cell persistence and metabolic fitness in tumor environments, improving the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapy.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.