The role of nutrition in cancer prevention and control.

Evidence has accumulated from the study of populations and from animal feeding studies that strongly implicates dietary patterns and some specific nutrients in the process of promotion of cancers of the breast, colon, uterus and prostate. Nutritional factors may also complement smoking in the promotion of head and neck and lung cancer. Population studies indicate that lifestyle, which includes diet, tobacco use and alcohol consumption, may account for up to 70% of avoidable cancer mortality in this country. The development of effective dietary interventions to reduce some of these risks promises to reduce the age-adjusted incidence and mortality from these common forms of cancer. The biological mechanisms and hypotheses related to the principal dietary components of prevention and control of common cancers is presented together with a review of recent trials testing these ideas.