Eating increased quanities of cereal fibre, may lowerthe risk of one type of stomach cancer, Swedish scientists reported recently. Dr. Olof Nyren and associates from Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden found that people who consumed the highest level of fibre had a 60% lower risk of developing stomach cancerthan did those in the lowest intake group. The researchers looked specifically at tumoursof the gastric cardia, the upper part of the stomach. Most of this benefit appeared to be due to cereal fibre, as individuals who ate the mostcereal fibre had a 70% lower risk than those who ate the least cereal fibre. Eating fibrefrom fruit or vegetables had no effect on stomach cancer rates. The authors used information from a nationwide Swedish study of cancers of the cardiaof the stomach and the esophagus to explore what dietary factors might influence thesecancer rates. Full findings are published in the February issue of Gastroenterology: 2001;120:387-391,568-570. Source: Reuters Health
