Carcinogens and Anticarcinogens in the Human Diet: A Comparison of NaturallyOccurring and Synthetic Substances

摘要

It is generally accepted that diet is a contributing factor to the onset orprogression of some types of cancer and that a prudent selection of foods, including fruits and vegetables, and avoidance or decreased consumption of other foods might influence the risk to an individual contracting cancer. But can specific chemicals in our diet be identified as causative agents (carcinogens) or protective agents (anticarcinogens) for cancer. Some naturally occuring chemicals that are part of our diet have been shown in animal models to cause cancer and therefore might also serve as potential cancer-causative agents in humans. Almost daily, the news media report on the presence of one chemical or another that is claimed to be carcinogenic. Many of these are naturally occuring chemicals. To make a rational estimate of the risk associated with the diet one must know the level of exposure as well as the carcinogenic potency of a suspected chemical.