CEREAL FIBER, CALCIUM, AND COLORECTAL-CANCER

Food intake during the preceding 15 years was evaluated in detail in 4 1 patients treated for colorectal cancer and an equal number of matche d control subjects by means of a dietary history technique that permit ted quantitation of nutrients. Dietary habits of the control group cou ld be compared against two larger groups of 371 hospital control and 4 30 population control subjects. Patients with cancer, who were intervi ewed after complete recovery from surgery, consumed more fat, protein, and carbohydrates, and thus more energy, than control subjects althou gh these differences were not statistically significant. Per unit ener gy, the habitual diet of patients with cancer contained less cereal fi ber (P < 0.001), less riboflavin (P < 0.05), less calcium (P < 0.05), and less phosphorus (P < 0.05) than the diet of the control subjects. A high intake of either cereal fiber, total fiber, calcium, and phosph orus in relation to energy intake was found to be associated with a re duced risk ratio of colorectal cancer. For colon cancer separately, a high intake of calcium and cereal fiber was associated with a reduced risk ratio. For rectal cancer, a high intake of total fiber and cereal fiber was associated with a reduced risk ratio. High alcohol consumpt ion correlated with an increased risk ratio. These data are compatible with previous Scandinavian studies relating food consumption to the i ncidence and mortality of colorectal cancer.