title: Diet and upper gastrointestinal malignancies.
abstract: Diet is believed to modulate cancer risk and this relationship has been widely studied in the gastrointestinal tract. Observational epidemiologic studies have provided most of the evidence about the effects of diet on cancer risk because clinical trials to determine nutritional exposures are often impossible, impractical, or unaffordable. Although a few foods or nutrients are thought to protect against specific types of cancer, it seems clear that the strength and even direction of dietary associations (increasing or decreasing risk) is organ-site- and even histology-specific, along the gastrointestinal tract. Although some hypotheses are supported by a substantial body of observational data (drinking hot maté [an infusion of the herb Ilex Paraguarensis] contributes to esophageal cancer), there are not much data to support others. We discuss some highly touted hypotheses and draw interim conclusions about what is known and what could be done to improve the level of evidence. The complex nature of diet and its associations can be productively investigated with disease-specific studies. However, public health recommendations for normal-risk individuals regarding diet and gastrointestinal cancer should probably emphasize the importance of eating for overall health rather than eating specific foods to reduce risk for specific cancers.
authors: Nutritional Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland. Electronic address: abnetc@mail.nih.gov.
authors: Christian C
authors: CC
authors: Abnet
authors: Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente of Northern California, Oakland, California.
authors: Douglas A
authors: DA
authors: Corley
authors: Nutritional Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland.
authors: Neal D
authors: ND
authors: Freedman
authors: Department of Public Health Analysis, School of Community Health and Policy, Morgan State University, Baltimore, Maryland; Digestive Oncology Research Center, Digestive Disease Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Farin
authors: F
authors: Kamangar
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects; D000818:Animals; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003069:Coffee / Q000009:adverse effects; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005511:Food Handling; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008460:Meat / Q000009:adverse effects; D065840:Protective Factors; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary / Q000009:adverse effects; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013662:Tea / Q000009:adverse effects; D014675:Vegetables / Q000009:adverse effects; D014815:Vitamins / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D003069:Coffee; D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary; D013662:Tea; D014815:Vitamins
keywords: Cancer; Epidemiology; Esophageal; Gastric