Nutrition, immunology and cancer: an overview

There is epidemiological, laboratory and some clinical evidence that certain dietary factors play a role in either promoting or inhibiting cancer development. An understanding of the mechanisms whereby specific nutrients are having effects in the promotion or prevention of cancer is beginning to take shape. Research into nutrient effects on the expression of specific genes, especially cytokine and cytokine receptor expression, will help increase our basic knowledge of cancer biology. Since cytokines can either enhance or suppress both immune defense and cancer growth, increased understanding of nutrient effects on the cytokine network will be beneficial. The regulation of specific gene expression by specific nutrients, indeed, identifies a major frontier for present and future nutritional biologists.