Oncological prevention—To what extent is nutrition important?

Abstract

Background: Cancer is one of the most frequent chronic diseases in Germany and is to a considerable extent caused by modifiable risk factors. Objective: Which associations exist between nutritional factors and cancer development? Material and method: Narrative review, which mainly uses systematic reviews and meta-analyses to answer the question. Results: Currently, alcoholic beverages, red and processed meat, salt and the glycemic load are considered risk factors for at least some cancer localizations, whereas fruit, vegetables, dietary fiber, coffee and partly milk and dairy products are considered as protective factors. Obesity is considered the most important factor among the nutritional risk factors, which is itself influenced by nutritional factors. Together, these factors are responsible for approximately 18% of all cancers. Conclusion: Even if nutritional factors do not have the preventive potential of stopping smoking, they can substantially reduce the risk of tumor development, especially in the digestive tract.