The incidence of liver cancer is highest in China's coastal areas, particularly in the Yangtze River Delta and the Pearl River Delta. The relationship between the occurrence of liver cancer and diet is as follows:
①Contamination of food by Aspergillus flavus: The geographical distribution of liver cancer in China is basically consistent with the distribution of Aspergillus flavus contamination. In regions where grain, oil, and food are severely contaminated by aflatoxins, the incidence and mortality of liver cancer are also high.
②Infection with the Hepatitis B virus: Among the Chinese population, about 10% have been infected with the Hepatitis B virus. Due to poor dietary habits and hygiene, the hepatitis virus is mainly transmitted to healthy people through diet and unsterilized tableware. Some patients with chronic hepatitis may develop liver cancer.
③Water source pollution: The degree of drinking water pollution is positively correlated with the incidence of liver cancer, suggesting that contaminated water contains carcinogenic and co-carcinogenic substances, such as cyanobacterial toxins and humic acids.
④Excessive alcohol consumption: Excessive drinking can significantly damage the liver, leading to malnutrition and cirrhosis, on which liver cancer can develop. Esophageal Cancer
Through research and investigation, the following key points have been identified:
①Lack of vitamins A, C, and E.
②Lack of certain trace elements, such as molybdenum, zinc, magnesium, selenium, etc.
③Consumption of pickled and moldy foods. Carcinogenic nitrosamines can cause various cancers, including dimethylnitrosamine, diethylnitrosamine, and methylbenzylnitrosamine, which can be found in pickled meats and fish, and crude fish sauce. In addition, they are also found to varying degrees in dried radish, aged cornmeal, sauerkraut, and some moldy foods, and even in sausages and beer. Besides nitrosamines, moldy foods also contain mycotoxins, which can cause cancer themselves and have a synergistic carcinogenic effect with nitrosamines.
④The combination of drinking and smoking significantly increases the incidence of esophageal cancer. Stomach Cancer
According to epidemiological studies at home and abroad, the occurrence of stomach cancer may be related to the following factors [美食中国]
①Preference for smoked and roasted foods: During the smoking and roasting process, a large amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon compounds are produced, which contain strong carcinogens such as benzopyrene that can penetrate the entire food. During the roasting process, proteins break down at high temperatures, especially when charred, to produce carcinogenic components.
②High nitrate and nitrite content in drinking water and grain. Nitrates and nitrites may combine with amines in the human stomach to form nitrosamines, which are strong carcinogens.
③Preference for pickled foods.
④Consumption of moldy food. It has been found that grain and food in high-incidence areas of stomach cancer are severely contaminated by mold, and even in the gastric juice of stomach cancer patients, mold and its toxins have been detected.
⑤Alcohol consumption: Excessive drinking can damage the gastric mucosa, causing chronic gastritis. Alcohol can promote the absorption of carcinogens and damage and weaken the liver's detoxification function. Colon and Rectal Cancer
①High-fat diet: The incidence of colon and rectal cancer in populations with a high-fat diet is higher than in those with a low-fat diet, which has been confirmed in animal experiments.
②Insufficient dietary fiber: In countries with high plant fiber in their diet, such as Africa, Finland, Japan, and China, the incidence of colon and rectal cancer is significantly lower than in European and American countries.
③Other factors: Eating foods rich in vitamin A can reduce the incidence of colorectal cancer. The incidence of colorectal cancer is higher in people who drink a lot of beer or drink beer along with other alcoholic beverages. Other Cancers
Many studies have shown that a diet high in fat and calories is positively correlated with the occurrence of breast cancer. Lung cancer patients often lack vitamin A and selenium. Some reports suggest that a high-fat diet may be related to the occurrence of endometrial cancer, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, and gallbladder cancer. Laryngeal cancer and oral cancer are related to smoking and excessive drinking. Thyroid cancer is related to iodine deficiency in the diet. Nasopharyngeal cancer is related to the contamination of N-nitroso compounds (such as nitrosamines) in the diet.