Suppression of squamous cell carcinoma in hairless mice by dietary nutrient variation.

In experiments involving the induction of squamous cell carcinoma in 1846 hairless mice that were maintained on a wide variety of diets, it was found that those diets with the least optimum balance of nutrients had the greatest inhibitory effect on growth of cancer. Rate of onset and severity of tumors was caused to vary over a 20-fold range by means of dietary balance alone. These experiments suggest that dietary variation in general and intentional malnutrition in particular should be given special attention in the control of existing cancer in humans.