Primary prevention of colorectal cancer: Myth or reality?

Table 1 Diet and colorectal cancer prevention

Role on CRC prevention	Evaluated in randomized clinical trails	Recommendation for general population	Recommendation for high risk population
Fruits and vegetables	No	Balanced diet	Balanced diet
Dietary fiber	Alberts et al[23], 2000 Schatzkin et al[24], 2000	Balanced diet	Balanced diet
Resistant starch	Mathers et al[26], 2012	No	No
Folate	Cole et al[33], 2007 Logan et al[34], 2008 Wu et al[36], 2009	Recommended daily dose	Recommended daily dose
Vitamin B6	No	No	No
Vitamin D	Wactawski-Wende et al[45], 2006	Recommended daily dose	Recommended daily dose
Calcium	Wactawski-Wende et al[45], 2006	No	Calcium supplementation
			Dose: 700-1250 mg/d
Dairy products	No	Balanced diet	Balanced diet
Omega-3	West et al[56], 2010	Balanced diet	Omega-3 supplementation (eicosapentaenoic acid) Dose: 2 g/d

CRC: Colorectal cancer.

Table 2 Drugs and colorectal cancer prevention

Role on CRC prevention	Evaluated in randomized clinical trails	Recommendation for general population	Recommendation for high risk population
Aspirin	Logan et al[34], 2008 Baron et al[61], 2003 Sandler et al[62], 2003 Benamouzig et al[63], 2011 Rothwell et al[65], 2010	No	Aspirin supplementation Dose: 80-1200 mg/d
NSAIDs	Arber et al[69], 2006 Baron et al[70], 2006 Bertagnolli et al[71], 2006	No	No, due to toxicity profile
Antioxidants	Lippman et al[76], 2009 Greenberg et al[77], 1994	No	No
Statins	Pedersen et al[80], 1996 Sacks et al[81], 1996 Emberson et al[82], 2012	No	No
Bisphosphonates	No	No	No
Postmenopausal hormonal therapy	Chlebowski et al[93], 2004	No	No, due to toxicity profile

CRC: Colorectal cancer; NSAIDs: Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs.