Diet
Through several studies, diet is known to play a role in both cancer development as well as cancer prevention. Diet plays a role in cancer development and prevention due to the foods we eat and the way that they are prepared. The food that we eat is categorized into three categories: Carbohydrates, Fats, and proteins, which are metabolized to produce energy. Within the food that we eat, there have been several biologically active microconsitutents that act as antioxidants, which are compounds that inhibit the delay of the damaging action of ROS. In the body these antioxidants are oxidized by themselves Chemicals such as these that are obtained through diet are important for the protection of cells.
Causative Agents of Diet
Carcinogenic Contaminants
Food is considered a complex substance that can carry harmful factors along with nutrician value. The consumption of food provides a direct route for chemical carcinogens to be delivered to the body. Carcinogenic effects of foods are one way that diet can develop cancer. In certain instances, food such as Salmon, can accumulate pollutants and pass genotoxic contaminates when consumed by humans. These contaminants can be acquired through crops, feed, and environmental factors that the food is produced in. The preparation for food can also be a causative factor for cancer as well. When meats are cooked at high temperatures, heterocyclic amines are produced. Heterocyclic amines are formed when meats are grilled, fried, and barbecued causing the food to be exposed to smoke. These chemicals are capable of causing damage to DNA after they are metabolized by specific enzymes through the process if bio activation, which is relevant to the formation of cancer. Along with high temperatures exposing meat to carcinogens, certain molds that grow on food can also be a carcinogen leading to cancer. Toxins that are produced by mold that contaminate food form DNA adducts, causing base substitutions and mutations, resulting in the increased risk of cancer.
Dietary Deficiencies
Along with carcinogenic contaminants, dietary deficiencies have been known to be causative agents of cancer. Studies show that a deficiency in folate increases the risk of colorectal cancer. Folate is a vitamin B that can lose or gain a carbon in metabolic reactions. Folate is a useful co0ensyme need for the nucleotide synthesis and DNA methylation, which can affect the process of carcinogenesis by contributing to tumor development. When there is a deficiency within the DNA synthesis, DNA instability is a result, which induces mutations leading to genomic hypo methylation. Deoxythymindylate synthesis is inhibited in environments when there is low folate and an imbalance of nucleotide causing uracil to be incorporated into DNA. When this occurs, the DNA strand breaks as a response to the repair of the mutations. Low deficiency folate products show an increase in DNA alterations, inducing carcinogenesis.
Obesity
Obesity is also a risk factor of cancer as well. Obesity is known to increase the risk of colon, kidney, breast, pancrease, liver, and esophagus. Obesity is associated with acid reflux, which damages the esophageal epithelium, leading to adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. Obesity also results in large fat deposits in adipose tissues. Adipose tissues are an endocrine organ that can affect other tissues by releasing free fatty acids, peptide hormones, and steroid hormones, which can serve as tumor promoters. Food metabolism is also linked to cancer. Metabolism is the process in which we break down foods. Those with obesity have a slower metabolism which affects oxidation and increase in ROS production causing mutations.
Preventative Factor
Despite the causative factors of diet, there are factors that prevent cancer from occurring. Intake of fruits and vegetables serve as means of reducing cancer. The ability to block DNA damage caused by ROS or carcinogens is a main strategy for preventing the initiation of cancer and slowing down the progression of disease. There are microconstituents that are found in fruits and vegetables that are important in regulating the expression of phase I and II of metabolizing enzymes in the body. These phases are defense mechanisms against foreign substances that enter the body. Cytochrome P450 family in Phase I drug metabolizing enzymes catalyze the hydroxylation and oxidation of drugs which has a harmful effect on the body by converting pro-carcinogens into carcinogens causing DNA damage. With the microconstitutents being located in fruits and vegetables, high consumptions of these foods can regulate the production of Phase I and II enzymes, reducing the incidence of cancer.
Consumption of fruits and vegetables also act as antioxidants that scavenge ROS. Vitamin C is water soluble and can donate an electron to free radicals directly, inhibiting its reactivity and blocks their free radical chain reactions that induce cancer. By consuming food such as broccoli, apples, carrots, spinach and more can help prevent cancer instead of causing cancer such as foods like grilled chicken, smoked hot dogs and more.