Diet and cancer: assessing the risk

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Nutritional Science
• Biomarker Research

Background:

• Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a significant global cause of cancer mortality.
• Epidemiological studies suggest a strong link between diet and CRC etiology.
• Establishing causal dietary links requires human intervention studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review available intermediate endpoints for colorectal cancer research.
• To highlight the utility of non-invasive fecal biomarkers.
• To provide examples of biomarker use in dietary intervention studies.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of intervention studies and biomarker research.
• Focus on non-invasive fecal biomarkers for colorectal cancer.
• Analysis of biomarker utility in dietary intervention contexts.

Main Results:

• Intermediate endpoints are necessary due to the impracticality of using cancer as an endpoint in human studies.
• Non-invasive fecal biomarkers offer a viable alternative for monitoring dietary effects.
• The review provides examples of how these biomarkers are applied in practice.

Conclusions:

• Intermediate biomarkers, particularly fecal ones, are essential for studying diet's role in colorectal cancer.
• These biomarkers facilitate human intervention studies, advancing our understanding of CRC prevention.
• Further research utilizing fecal biomarkers in dietary interventions is warranted.