Nutrition and colon cancer prevention.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: In spite of improvements in care of colon cancer patients, prevention may enable potential patients to avoid cancer therapy. Although screening is direct and effective, dietary modification or low-risk chemopreventive agents might prevent colon cancer development. In this article, we review recent developments in colon cancer prevention, emphasizing nutrition. RECENT
FINDINGS: Epidemiologic findings continue to suggest that diet is related to colon cancer risk. These findings, although, are inconsistent enough to render dietary recommendations premature. An exciting recent discovery is that the combination of diflouromethylornithine and sulindac substantially decreases adenomatous polyp recurrence. Reliance upon clinical trials continues to grow as a means of testing prevention strategies.
SUMMARY: Prevention remains an important goal for reducing the burden of colon cancer. Screening has an important role, although it will probably not eliminate all colon cancer. Nutritional modification remains potentially valuable, although research has not yet identified the objects of nutritional intervention. NSAIDs hold promise as chemopreventive agents.