The majority of cancers are sporadic and epidemiological estimates suggest that up to 80% of colorectal cancer is attributable to diet. Epidemiologically, cross-sectional comparisons, case-control studies and trends in food intake show high rates of colorectal cancer in populations consuming diets high in meat and fat, and low in starch, NSP (non-starch polysaccharides, fibre) and vegetables. In general, prospective studies tend to support these findings although estimates of relative risk are not high. Existing prospective studies have however used crude indices of diet subject to substantial measurement error, and interactions with genetic polymorphisms in, for example, phase-1 and -II enzymes have been studied only rarely. The association between meat consumption and colorectal cancer is usually attributed to the formation of heterocyclic amines in meat when it is cooked. In addition, in humans high-meat diets increase the level of nitrosatable material entering the colon so that faecal N-nitroso compounds (NOCs) increase in a dose-responsive manner following endogenous synthesis in the colon. Some of the mutations and guanine adducts accumulated during colorectal cancer progression are characteristic of alkylative damage, which would be compatible with NOC exposure. To date, NSP, resistant starch and vegetables have not reduced faecal NOC levels.
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February 2000
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Conference Article|
February 01 2000
Diet and colorectal cancer prevention
S. A. Bingham
S. A. Bingham
1Medical Research Council, Dunn Human Nutrition Unit, MRC Welcome Trust Building, Cambridge CB2 2XY, U.K.
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Biochem Soc Trans (2000) 28 (2): 12–16.
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Received:
June 30 1999
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S. A. Bingham; Diet and colorectal cancer prevention. Biochem Soc Trans 1 February 2000; 28 (2): 12–16. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/bst0280012
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