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Supplement: Nutritional Genomics and Proteomics in Cancer Prevention

Diet, Individual Responsiveness and Cancer Prevention¹

Michael J. Wargovich^*,2 and Joan E. Cunningham

^* Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine and South Carolina Cancer Center, Columbia, SC 29203 and Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Norman J. Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina and South Carolina Cancer Center, Columbia, SC 29208

² To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: michael.wargovich{at}palmettohealth.org.

Dietary recommendations for the prevention of cancer have been based predominantly on large epidemiological studies of diet and lifestyle, conducted 20, and in some cases, almost 30 years ago. Government programs have been successful in educating the public about the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables, yet despite these efforts, Americans have become heavier, diabetes is more prevalent and general health indicators have not greatly improved. Individual response to dietary recommendations may be complicated by a variety of factors. Polymorphisms in genes related to drug activation and detoxification, folate metabolism, DNA repair, vitamin receptors and other cellular receptors could account for a lack of benefit at the level of the individual for consuming cancer preventive foods. Beyond consideration of genetic polymorphisms, the last half century has brought stark changes in lifestyle that depart from normal diurnal cycle and periodic fluctuations in food availability. Thus, modern times may be characterized as being constantly in a "feast" environment. The cellular consequences may be an increase in risk for several diseases including cancer.

KEY WORDS: • diet • cancer • polymorphisms • thrifty gene • feast and famine