Objective Various dietary factors may play an important role in the process of carcinogenesis. Several epidemiologic data demonstrate an association of foods or nutrients with the prevention of cancer. Breast cancer is the most frequent malignancy among women in Western countries, with in increasing incidence. In western Europe 1 out of 9 women develop breast cancer, in contrast to Mediterranean countries where the incidence is significantly lower. In Asian populations the incidence of breast and endometrial cancer, the most common gynaecological tumour, is even lower. Genetical factors have been excluded, since populations that migrate from low to high incidence countries develop breast cancer rates that approximate those in the new host country. AS a Greek student in Germany I am especially interested in the prevention of tumor development by dietary components, especially on the impact of Mediterranean diet in carinogenesis. Mediterranean diet contains severe! nutrients, i.e olive oil and phytoestrogens, which have recently been suggested 10 have chemopreventive effects against breast and endometrial cancer. Therefore, a major aim is to find substances for the prevention of cancer which could be of major interest in western European countries, We have focused on testing nutritional compounds in human cells in-vitro to facilitate new insights in chemo-prevention for future investigations. Tamoxifen and endometrium: Tamoxifen has being used in the adjuvant therapy of breast cancer patients for almost twenty years with a significant improvement in both recurrence-free and overall survival. Tamoxifen could play a major role in the chemoprevention of breast cancer. A significant correlation between tamoxifen use and the development of endometrial carcinomas was demonstrated, although the precise incidence of tamoxifen-associated endometrial pathological changes is still not clear. The mechanism of tamoxifen-induced endometrial carcinogenesis is thought to be due to an estrog Fields of science medical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncologybreast cancermedical and health scienceshealth sciencesnutrition Programme(s) FP5-HUMAN POTENTIAL - Programme for research, technological development and demonstration on "Improving the human research potential and the socio-economic knowledge base" (1998-2002) Topic(s) Data not available Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme ACM - Preparatory, accompanying and support measures Coordinator DUBIN GRZEGORZ EU contribution No data Address ul. Muzykow 10 30 823 KRAKOW Poland See on map Total cost No data
