Two dozen papers from an international symposium in October 1998 in Naples report recent findings in the connection, revealing a growing use of molecular approaches to perform research in nutrition, and observations that at least 35% of all cancers might be prevented by dietary regimens. They cover epidemiological studies of risk factors and diets, the molecular bases of nutrient effects on cell growth and differentiation, molecular epidemiology as an innovative trend in cancer prevention, and nutritional intervention for cancer prevention and perspectives. Among the foods they discuss are olive oil, brassica vegetables, fiber, and cereals. Other papers look at specific chemicals from various foods. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
The major scientific advancements in the study of nutrition and cancer in the last six years derive from the extensive use of molecular approaches to perform research in the nutritional field. Moreover, the fundamental observation of R. Doll and R. Peto (1981), which suggested that at least 35% of all cancers (with large differences among different tumors) might be prevented by dietary regimens, has been definitively confirmed by epidemiological studies. The molecular studies reported in this volume include all of the major aspects of investigation on human nutrition and malignant transformation. In the last decade a large number of compounds responsible for the biological activity of human foods has been identified and characterized. These molecules not only include important and well-known risk factors but, most promising, compounds, which might exert chemopreventive activity. Among them, antioxidants (such as vitamins, phenols, and lycopene) seem to play a critical role in reducing the risk of cancer at different anatomical sites, including colon, breast, and prostate malignancies. Other molecules, derived from fiber bacterial intestinal degradation (short fatty acids), are of interest, even if their importance has not been completely unraveled and is still the subject of debate.
