Revisit dietary fiber on colorectal cancer: butyrate and its role on prevention and treatment

Colorectal cancer is still a major health problem worldwide. Based on the most recent released data by the World Health Organization GLOBOCAN in 2012, colorectal cancer is the third most prevalent type of cancer in males and the second in females. In 1999, it was published the first report showing e...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cancer and metastasis reviews 2015-09, Vol.34 (3), p.465-478
Main Authors: Encarnação, J. C., Abrantes, A. M., Pires, A. S., Botelho, M. F.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Biomedicine
Butyrates - metabolism
Butyrates - pharmacology
Cancer
Cancer Research
Care and treatment
Clinical
Colorectal cancer
Colorectal Neoplasms - epidemiology
Colorectal Neoplasms - metabolism
Development and progression
Dietary Fiber - metabolism
Dietary Fiber - pharmacology
Esters
Female
Fermentation
Fiber in human nutrition
Food habits
Health aspects
Humans
Male
Microbiota (Symbiotic organisms)
Oncology
Oncology, Experimental
Prevention
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Summary:Colorectal cancer is still a major health problem worldwide. Based on the most recent released data by the World Health Organization GLOBOCAN in 2012, colorectal cancer is the third most prevalent type of cancer in males and the second in females. In 1999, it was published the first report showing evidence of a strong correlation between diet and cancer incidence, being its positive or negative impact intimately linked to dietary patterns. A diet rich in fiber is associated with a low risk of developing colorectal cancer. The fermentation of the dietary fiber by intestinal microflora results in production of butyrate, which plays a plurifunctional role on the colonocytes, and it has also been reported as a chemopreventive agent. However, there are limited studies focusing its anti-cancer potential. Here, we review the recent new insights that focus butyrate and its role in colorectal cancer prevention and treatment, from its synthesis, metabolism, and transport, through its involvement on several cancer-related signaling pathways, to the novel existing approaches for its clinical use.
ISSN:0167-7659
1573-7233
DOI:10.1007/s10555-015-9578-9