[Etiopathogenesis of colorectal carcinomas].

There are a small group of colonic carcinomas of known etiology and large group of unknown etiology. In the latter group epidemiology, metabolic epidemiology, and animal experiments suggest a correlation between the fat content of the diet and the incidence of colonic carcinoma. Burkitt's postulate of a protective value of high fibre intake receives backing from 3 epidemiological studies from Israel, Scandinavia, and San Francisco.