CARBORUNDUM, A BULK SIMILAR TO DIETARY-FIBERS BUT CHEMICALLY INERT, DOES NOT DECREASE COLON CARCINOGENESIS

Dietary fibers might lower the risk of colorectal cancer, maybe becaus e of their bulking effect. We tested the protection afforded by an ine rt bulk against carcinogenesis. Thirty rats received an azoxymethane i njection and were allocated to a control diet, or to a diet supplement ed with 10% carborundum. After 100 days the colons were scored for abe rrant crypt foci. Compared to controls, the fecal weight was doubled i n carborundum-fed rats (P < 0.001), but the aberrant crypt foci multip licity was not changed (P = 0.92). The results do not support the hypo thesis that intestinal dilution by an inert bulk can protect against c olon cancer. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.