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Pulses and carcinogenesis: potential for the prevention of colon, breast and other cancers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

John C. Mathers*
Affiliation:
Human Nutrition Research Centre, Department of Biological and Nutritional Sciences, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
*
*Corresponding author: Professor John Mathers, tel +44 0191 222 6912, fax +44 0191 222 8684, email [email protected]
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Abstract

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Consumption of pulses as components of healthy diets is encouraged because it is believed that this is likely to help in reducing the risk of common non-communicable diseases, including cancers. However, the evidence base for the role of pulses in prevention of cancers is unconvincing because of the difficulties, using conventional epidemiological tools, in ascertaining the quantitative contribution made by pulses to cancer risk. Advances in understanding of the biological basis of cancer and of the mechanisms of action of cancer-preventing compounds offer new insights into the role of food-derived substances and of diet—gene interactions in modulating cancer risk. Pulses contain a rich variety of compounds which, if consumed in sufficient quantities, may help to reduce tumour risk.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 2002

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