Nature, Nurture, and Cancer Risks: Genetic and Nutritional Contributions to Cancer

Abstract

It is speculated that genetic variants are associated with differential responses to nutrients (known as gene-diet interactions) and that these variations may be linked to different cancer risks. In this review, we critically evaluate the evidence across 314 meta-analyses of observational studies and randomized controlled trials of dietary risk factors and the five most common cancers (breast, lung, prostate, colorectal, and stomach). We also critically evaluate the evidence across 13 meta-analyses of observational studies of gene-diet interactions for the same cancers. Convincing evidence for association was found only for the intake of alcohol and whole grains in relation to colorectal cancer risk. Three nutrient associations had highly suggestive evidence and another 15 associations had suggestive evidence. Among the examined gene-diet interactions, only one had moderately strong evidence.

Obesity, Dietary Factors, Nutrition, and Breast Cancer Risk

“…For instance, alcohol may affect DNA methylation and can change the expression of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. In contrast, whole grains are rich in antioxidants, which have shown to prevent oxidative damage to DNA and mutation during tumor initiation [5]. …”

“…It is widely acknowledged that diet acts as carcinogenesis risk modifiers, impacting both cancer initiation and progression [5]. This review synthesizes the critical impact of obesity-associated inflammation, dietary factors, and nutrition on breast cancer risk.…”

Gene–environment interactions and colorectal cancer risk: An umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta‐analyses of observational studies

“…For meta‐analyses of G×E interactions with a 2‐sided p value for interaction <0.05, or for G×E interactions reaching genome‐wide significance threshold, we used an extension of the Human Genome Epidemiology Network's Venice criteria to evaluate the strength of the evidence (Table ). These guidelines have been used previously to assess cumulative evidence on joint effects of genes and environments on cancer risk …”

“…A number of systematic reviews, meta‐analyses and genome‐wide G×E interaction analyses that explored interaction effects in CRC have been published. We recently collected and evaluated the evidence across existing meta‐analyses of observational studies in dietary factors and gene‐diet interactions for the 5 most common cancers . Here, we performed an umbrella review to collect, update, and assess the evidence across existing systematic reviews, meta‐analyses and genome‐wide G×E interaction analyses that have explored the joint effects between genes and a wider range of environmental exposures in CRC.…”

A Case-Control Study of the Relationship between LINC01495, TRAPPC9 Polymorphisms and Lung Cancer Susceptibility in Northeast Chinese Population

“…Lung cancer is the most common cancer worldwide [1] . It causes more deaths per year than other cancers and the mortality has been high for recent decades among both men and women [2] .…”