Evaluation of epidemiological studies of intestinal bacteria that affected occurrence of colorectal cancer: studies of prevention of colorectal tumors by dairy products and lactic acid bacteria.

Enviromental factors have been consistently associated with colon cancer risk. In particular, consumption of Western-style diet including red meat is the most widely accepted etiologic risk factor. It has been reported that dietary factors change the proportion of intestinal flora, and it also affects the composition of fecal bile acids and the intestinal activity of some mutagens. In addition, it was suggested that modulating the composition of intestinal flora may reduce the occurrence of colorectal cancer. In this review, we present the clinical studies on the association between intestinal flora and the risk of colorectal cancer that have been carried out to date. The clinical studies of intestinal bacteria related to colorectal cancer risk have not shown consistent results so far, compared with the accomplishments of some basic studies. On the other hand, it was suggested in some clinical studies that lactic acid bacteria reduce the occurrence of colorectal cancer.