Cancer is a term greatly feared by the general population. It more correctly refers to a disease process where development is thought to be the multi-step, both reversible and irreversible; some of the reversible steps may be influenced by dietary factors which can also limit the multi-step process from progressing and thereby protect against the development of clinical cancer.

Various studies have shown that the environment contributes to 80-90% of human cancer. The environment is broadly defined to include a wide range of lifestyle factors including diet, social and cultural practices and it has also been shown that one-third of the human cancer is directly related to some dietary component.

Influence of Diet on Carcinogenesis

Diet may influence human carcinogenesis in six general ways:

1. Diet provides the carcinogens or their immediate precursors.

2. Diet facilitates or inhibits the endogenous production of carcinogens.

3. The modification of carcinogens by metabolic activation or inactivation could be affected by other dietary components.

4. Increasing or impeding the delivery of carcinogens to their site of action may be influenced by dietary changes.

5. Diet may alter the susceptibility of tissues to cancer induction or growth by dietary effects on tissue metabolism.

6. Diet may alter the body’s capacity to eliminate transformed cells.

Identifying the risk factors for cancer prevention is the first step.

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