Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-fqc5m Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-26T18:50:58.870Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Scientific basis of biomarkers and benefits of functional foods for reduction of disease risk: cancer

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

Joseph J. Rafter*
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, NOVUM, S-141 86 Huddinge, Sweden
*
*Corresponding author: Dr J. J. Rafter, fax + 46 8 711 66 59, email joseph.rafter@mednut.ki.se
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

One of the most promising areas for the development of functional foods lies in modification of the activity of the gastrointestinal tract by use of probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics. While a myriad of healthful effects have been attributed to the probiotic lactic acid bacteria, perhaps the most controversial remains that of anticancer activity. However, it must be emphasised that, to date, there is no direct experimental evidence for cancer suppression in man as a result of consumption of lactic cultures in fermented or unfermented dairy products, although there is a wealth of indirect evidence, based largely on laboratory studies. Presently, there are a large number of biomarkers available for assessing colon cancer risk in dietary intervention studies, which are validated to varying degrees. These include colonic mucosal markers, faecal water markers and immunological markers. Overwhelming evidence from epidemiological, in vivo, in vitro and clinical trial data indicates that a plant-based diet can reduce the risk of chronic disease, particularly cancer. It is now clear that there are components in a plant-based diet other than traditional nutrients that can reduce cancer risk. More than a dozen classes of these biologically active plant chemicals, now known as ‘phytochemicals’, have been identified. Although the vast number of naturally occurring health-enhancing substances appear to be of plant origin, there are a number of physiologically active components in animal products (such as the probiotics referred to above) that deserve attention for their potential role in cancer prevention.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 2002

References

Biasco, G, Paganelli, GM, Brandi, G, Brillanti, S, Lami, F, Callegari, C & Gizzi, G (1991) Effect of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum on rectal cell kinetics and fecal pH. Italalian Journal of Gastroenterology 23, 142.Google ScholarPubMed
Block, E (1992) The organosulfur chemistry of the genus Allium — implications for the organic chemistry of sulfur. Angewandte Chemie, International Edition Engl. 31, 11351178.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Block, G, Patterson, B & Subar, A (1992) Fruit, vegetables, and cancer prevention: a review of the epidemiological evidence. Nutrition and Cancer 18, 129.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Clinton, SK (1998) Lycopene: chemistry, biology and implications for human health and disease. Nutrition Reviews 56, 3551.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Crowell, PL (1997) Monoterpenes in breast cancer chemoprevention. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment 46, 191197.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Di Mascio, P, Kaiser, S & Sies, H (1989) Lycopene as the most efficient biological carotenoid singlet oxygen quencher. Archives Biochemistry and Biophysics 274, 532538.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dorant, E, van den Brandt, PA, Goldbohm, RA, Hermus, RJJ & Sturmans, F (1993) Garlic and its significance for the prevention of cancer in humans: a critical review. British Journal of Cancer 67, 424429.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dreosti, IE, Wargovich, MJ & Yang, CS (1997) Inhibition of carcinogenesis by tea: the evidence from experimental studies. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition 37, 761770.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Elegbede, JA, Maltzman, TH, Elson, CE & Gould, MN (1993) Effects of anticarcinogenic monoterpenes on phase II hepatic metabolizing enzymes. Carcinogenesis 14, 12211223.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ernst, E (1997) Can allium vegetables prevent cancer? Phytomedicine 4, 7983.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fuller, R (1989) Probiotics in man and animals. Journal of Applied Bacteriology 66, 365378.Google Scholar
Giovannucci, E, Ascherio, A, Rimm, EB, Stampfer, MJ, Colditz, GA & Willett, WC (1995) Intake of carotenoids and retinol in relation to risk of prostate cancer. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 87, 17671776.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Glinghammar, B, Venturi, M, Rowland, IR & Rafter, J (1997) Shift from a dairy product-rich to a dairy product-free diet: influence on cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of fecal water — potential risk factors for colon cancer. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 66, 12771282.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gould, MN (1997) Cancer chemoprevention and therapy by monoterpenes. Environmental Health Perspectives 105, 977979.Google ScholarPubMed
Govers, MJAP, Termont, DSML, Lapré, JA, Kleibeuker, JH, Vonk, RJ & Van der Meer, R (1996) Calcium in milk products precipitates intestinal fatty acids and secondary bile acids and thus inhibits colonic cytotoxicity in humans. Cancer Research 56, 32703275.Google ScholarPubMed
Graham, HN (1992) Green tea composition, consumption and polyphenol chemistry. Preventive Medicine 21, 334350.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ha, YL, Grimm, NK & Pariza, MW (1987) Anticarcinogens from fried ground beef: health-altered derivatives of linoleic acid. Carcinogenesis 8, 18811887.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hasegawa, S & Miyake, M (1996) Biochemistry and biological functions of citrus limonoids. Food Reviews International 12, 413435.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hecht, SS (1995) Chemoprevention by isothiocyanates. Journal of Cellular Biochemistry Supplement 22, 195209.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hirayama, K & Rafter, J (2000) The role of probiotic bacteria in cancer prevention. Microbes and Infection 2, 681686.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ip, C & Scimeca, JA (1997) Conjugated linoleic acid and linoleic acid are distinctive modulators of mammary carcinogenesis. Nutrition and Cancer 27, 131135.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Iscovich, JM, L, ÁbbéKA, Castelleto, R, Calzona, A, Bernedo, A, Chopita, NA, Jmelnitzsky, AC & Kaldor, J (1992) Colon cancer in Argentina. Risk from dietary items. International Journal of Cancer 51, 851857.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kampman, E, Giovannucci, E, van't Veer, P, Rimm, E, Stampfer, MJ, Colditz, GA, Kok, FJ & Willett, WC (1994 a) Calcium, vitamin D, dairy foods, and the occurrence of colorectal adenomas among men and women in two prospective studies. American Journal of Epidemiology 139, 1629.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kampman, E, Goldbohm, RA, van den Brandt, PA & van't Veer, P (1994 b) Fermented dairy products, calcium, and colorectal cancer in the Netherlands cohort study. Cancer Research 54, 31863190.Google ScholarPubMed
Kohlmeier, L, Weerings, KGC, Steck, S & Kok, FJ (1997) Tea and cancer prevention — an evaluation of the epidemiologic literature. Nutrition and Cancer 27, 113.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lapre, J, De Vries, T, Termont, DS, Kleibeuker, J, De Vries, EG & Van der Meer, R (1993) Mechanism of the protective effect of supplemental dietary calcium on cytolytic activity of fecal water. Cancer Research 53, 248253.Google ScholarPubMed
Lapré, JA & Van der Meer, R (1992) Diet-induced increase of colonic bile acids stimulates lytic activity of fecal water and proliferation of colonic cells. Carcinogenesis 13, 4144.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lidbeck, A, Overvik, E, Rafter, J, Nord, CE & Gustafsson, J-A (1992) Effect of Lactobacillus acidophilus supplements on mutagen excretion in feces and urine in humans. Microbial Ecology in Health and Disease 5, 5967.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McKeown-Eyssen, GE & Bright-See, E (1984) Dietary factors in colon cancer: international relationships. Nutrition and Cancer 6, 160170.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nakachi, K, Suemasu, K, Suga, K, Takeo, T, Imai, K & Higashi, Y (1998) Influence of drinking green tea on breast cancer malignancy among Japanese patients. Japanese Journal of Cancer Research 89, 254261.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Peters, RK, Pike, MC, Garabrant, D & Mack, TM (1992) Diet and colon cancer in Los Angeles County, California. Cancer Causes and Control 3, 457473.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Phipps, WR, Martini, MC, Lampe, JW, Slavin, JL & Kurzer, MS (1993) Effect of flax seed ingestion on the menstrual cycle. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 77, 12151219.Google ScholarPubMed
Pierre, F (1997) Short-chain fructo-oligosaccharides reduce the occurrence of colon tumors and develop gut-associated lymphoid tissue in MIN mice. Cancer Research 57, 225228.Google ScholarPubMed
Pool-Zobel, BL, Neudecker, C, DomizlaffI, Ji S I, Ji S, Schillinger, U, Rumney, CJ & Rowland, IR (1996) Lactobacillus and bifidobacterium-mediated antigenotoxicity in the colon of rats. Nutrition and Cancer 26, 365380.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
van't Veer, P, Dekker, JM, Lamers, JWJ, Kok, FJ, Schouten, EG, Brants, HAM, Sturmans, FM & Hermus, RJJ (1989) Consumption of fermented milk products and breast cancer: a case-control study in the Netherlands. Cancer Research 49, 40204023.Google ScholarPubMed
Verhoeven, DT, Goldbohm, RA, van Poppel, G, Verhagen, H & van den Brandt, PA (1996) Epidemiological studies on brassica vegetables and cancer risk. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention 5, 733748.Google ScholarPubMed
Verhoeven, DT, Verhagen, H, Goldbohm, RA, van den Brandt, PA & van Poppel, G (1997) A review of mechanisms underlying anticarcinogenicity by brassica vegetables. Chemical Biological Interactions 28, 79129.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Weisburger, JH (1998) International Symposium on Lycopene and Tomato Products in Disease Prevention: an introduction. Proceedings of the Society of Experimental Biology and Medicine 218, 9394.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Young, TB & Wolf, D (1988) A case-control study of proximal and distal colon cancer and diet in Wisconsin. International Journal of Cancer 42, 167175.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed