Nutritional aspects of colon cancer.

During the last decade, a substantial amount of progress has been made in the understanding of the relationship between the dietary constituents and the development of colon cancer in man. The information base is sufficiently convincing with respect to an enhancing effect as a function of total fat intake and a protective effect of certain dietary fibers in colon cancer. The populations with high incidence of colon cancer are characterized by consumption of high-dietary fat which may be a risk factor in the absence of factors that are protective, such as use of whole-grain cereals, high fibrous foods and vegetables mainly of cruciferous type. Application of the findings made thus far in colon cancer research for the general public is, therefore, to have a far-reaching impact on the major premature, killing diseases in the western world.