Copyright
©2008 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jul 28, 2008; 14(28): 4429-4433
Published online Jul 28, 2008. doi: 10.3748/wjg.14.4429
Published online Jul 28, 2008. doi: 10.3748/wjg.14.4429
New insights into calcium, dairy and colon cancer
Peter R Holt, Senior Research Associate, Rockefeller University, Professor of Medicine (Emeritus), Columbia University, New York, NY, 10065, United States
Author contributions: Holt PR contributed all to this paper.
Correspondence to: Peter R Holt, MD, Rockefeller University, PO Box 179, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, United States. holtp@mail.rockefeller.edu
Telephone: +1-212-3277706
Fax: +1-212-3277165
Received: April 14, 2008
Revised: June 16, 2008
Accepted: June 23, 2008
Published online: July 28, 2008
Revised: June 16, 2008
Accepted: June 23, 2008
Published online: July 28, 2008
Abstract
This paper is to review recent information about the relationship of calcium and dairy foods to colon cancer. The review focuses on primary prevention, discusses the potential components in dairy foods that might be anti-neoplastic, reviews the epidemiologic information and describes intervention studies demonstrating efficacy of calcium and vitamin D in reducing colorectal polyp recurrence. Since vitamin D is important in cancer prevention, pertinent data is discussed and potential mechanisms of actions presented. Calcium and vitamin D are important agents for the primary prevention of colorectal neoplasia.
Keywords: Colorectal cancer, Dairy foods, Calcium, Vitamin D, Colorectal polyp recurrence, Colon cancer prevention