Fatty acids in our diet are essential for health and recently scientists have learned that fatty acids can influence our immune system, especially in how it fights cancer. A team at the University of Hong Kong discovered certain dietary fatty acids called oleic acids enhances the specialized cells in the immune system ability to fight cancer. Conversely, they found another common fatty acid, called palmitic acid, diminishes the ability of these immune cells to attack tumors. Oleic acids are found in olive oil and nuts, while palmitic acids are found in palm oil and fatty meats. Not all people get the same benefit because of metabolic and immune system variations. The study appears in the academic peer-reviewed journal Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy.