This dichotomy may be explained by the fact that in some cancer cells, FADS2 enables the desaturation of palmitate to sapienate (cis-6-C16:1) as part of an alternative desaturation pathway, thus potentially reducing the levels of monounsaturated fatty acids and ultimately PUFA-containing phospholipids as substrates for lipid peroxidation39. Here, FADS2 is linked to cancer.