Interactions between the environment and genes in the colon.

Colorectal cancer is now widely accepted to be the result of an accumulation of mutations in specific genes controlling cell division, apoptosis and DNA repair. There is also a wealth of evidence that dietary factors, including dietary fat and fibre, influence the development of colorectal cancer. However, until recently, there has been little understanding of how these dietary factors and genetic factors interact. It is generally believed that this interaction is mediated in part by events occurring in the lumen of the large bowel. By characterizing the dietary/luminal factors that interact with the genes implicated in tumour development in the colon, a new understanding of colorectal cancer is likely to emerge, hopefully leading to the formulation of dietary recommendations to decrease the risk of this cancer.