Cereal fibres and colorectal cancer: a search for mechanisms.

The relationship between fibre intake and risk of colorectal cancer has occupied the attention of scientists and physicians for more than two decades. No satisfying, generalized mechanism for the observed effects has yet been formulated, which is not surprising, since fibre is only one component of a varied diet. Currently, the effects of the short-chain fatty acids offer the most interesting and plausible leads.