Some foods prevent cancer and others cause cancer

For some cancers, food is particularly important. There are almost certainly always several factors involved in the development of cancer, some increasing and others decreasing the risk. The following table summarises our present knowledge in this area:

CANCER	FOODS WHICH MAY DECREASE RISK	FOODS WHICH MAY INCREASE RISK
Large bowel (cole-rectal)	Unrefined plant foods, especially wholegrain cereals and cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts)	Fatty foods
Stomach	Fresh fruits and vegetables	Preserved foods (salted and cured)
Lung cancer	Green leafy and yellow vegetables	.
Prostate	Green leafy and yellow vegetables	Energy-dense foods, by contributing to obesity
Uterus	Green leafy and yellow vegetables	.
Breast	.	Energy-dense foods, by contributing to obesity; fatty foods; alcohol
Primary liver (beginning in the liver)	.	Foods containing aflatoxins (mouldy grains or peanuts)

Most current national dietary guidelines, including the Commonwealth Department of Health's Dietary Guidelines for Australians, reflect this knowledge.