Cancer risks in diet

Abstract

Risk of cancer is primarily dictated by genetic factors that are but very poorly understood. The risk of cancer is, however strongly determined by the environment, encompassing all that impinges on man, including his personal habits and the way of life. The development of a cancer is a two stage process. Initiation is usually brought about by carcinogens --- substances that cherish widespread occurrence and known to instigate adverse changes in cellular DNA. Promotion is a terminal phase which is very often manifested as a malignancy. Under normal circumstances, diet has been postulated as particularly essential for the prevention of cancer and for providing the necessary protection against the effects of carcinogens. However, researchers have now come up with the proposition that food may certainly be a carrier of carcinogenic substances. The aim of this dissertation is to present the available evidence on the occurrence of cancer associated with nutrition, based on the results emanating from a series of epidemiological reports.