title: Malnutrition and cancer.
abstract: In relation to cancer, malnutrition needs to be defined comprehensively as the carcinogenic effects produced by nutritional variables through multiple endogenous involvements. Nutritional factors act as primary effectors in four situations: carcinogens in food articles; affected bio-availability of nutrients; non-nutritive dietary items; harmful contaminants. The second situation resulting in malnutrition, often detected by metabolic pathology in high risk groups, is examined. Nutritional carcinogenesis is discussed in relevance to (1) ingestion of toxins; (2) dietary promoters; (3) type, relative proportions, interactions and bioavailability of micronutrients; (4) anti-carcinogenic or protective factors; and (5) the mixed-function oxidases. The etiological role of malnutrition preceding clinical cancer is firmly established. A host of unknown factors presently preclude but do not obliterate association of a specific type of malnutrition to a specific cancer type.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology; D002273:Carcinogens; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000009:adverse effects; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002149:Energy Intake; D006801:Humans; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000150:complications; D006899:Mixed Function Oxygenases / Q000378:metabolism; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology; D014815:Vitamins / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D002273:Carcinogens; D004041:Dietary Fats; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D014815:Vitamins; D006899:Mixed Function Oxygenases