Folate Linked to Colorectal Cancer

Ivanhoe Newswire
Thursday, November 9, 2006; 12:00 AM

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A diet low in folate may increase the risk of developing colorectal cancer, according to a new study. This latest research not only connects the two, but also gives further insight into the mechanisms of the disease.

Earlier research by this same team from McGill University Health Centre at Montreal Children's Hospital found high folate diets may protect against heart disease. For the research on colorectal cancer, study authors report this is the first study to directly connect diets low in folate to colorectal cancer.

The research was done in mice. Investigators report none of the mice fed a control diet developed cancer, but one in four mice on the folate-deficient diet developed tumors. The study reveals this may happen because a low level of folate may cause an increase in DNA damage. Study authors caution that while these results are encouraging, more research is needed in humans to know for sure the protective effect of folate for colorectal cancer.

Researchers point out they don't think it's necessary to eat excessive amount of folate, but they do recommend using diet or supplements to meet the recommended daily amount of folate.

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SOURCE: Cancer Research, 2006;66:10349-10356