The Role of Soluble, Insoluble Fibers and Their Bioactive Compounds in Cancer: A Mini Review

Abstract

The cancer incidence has risen dramatically over the last decades. About 8 million people died globally according to latest reports, which represented almost 40% more than it was 20 years ago. Risk factors for the development of cancer have been found to include smoking, alcohol, drugs, obesity and diet. Fiber intake has shown to exhibit chemoprotective effects on cancer proliferation and metastasis that may seem to be very promising. This article will review the role of different types of fiber such as, cellulose, lignin, pectin and inulin in development and prevention of different types of cancers. This article would also discuss the effectiveness of both types of fiber in cancer prevention.

Association between dietary fibre intake with cancer and all‐cause mortality among 15 740 adults: the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III

“…Dietary fibres prevent a number of diseases, such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, and also protect against cancers . There is evidence that dietary fibres are also associated with a reduction of risk for different types of cancers, including nasopharyngeal, endometrial, ovarian, breast, lung, renal, stomach and colorectal cancers . Dietary fibres are categorised into soluble and insoluble fibres based on their dissolution capability in water and biochemical properties in the intestine; insoluble fibres do not dissolve in water, although both insoluble and soluble fibres retain water .…”

“…There is evidence that dietary fibres are also associated with a reduction of risk for different types of cancers, including nasopharyngeal, endometrial, ovarian, breast, lung, renal, stomach and colorectal cancers . Dietary fibres are categorised into soluble and insoluble fibres based on their dissolution capability in water and biochemical properties in the intestine; insoluble fibres do not dissolve in water, although both insoluble and soluble fibres retain water . Celluose and lignin are forms of insoluble fibre, whereas pectin and inulin are forms of soluble fibre; these soluble and insoluble fibres possess chemoprotective properties that prevent cancer .…”

“…Dietary fibres are categorised into soluble and insoluble fibres based on their dissolution capability in water and biochemical properties in the intestine; insoluble fibres do not dissolve in water, although both insoluble and soluble fibres retain water . Celluose and lignin are forms of insoluble fibre, whereas pectin and inulin are forms of soluble fibre; these soluble and insoluble fibres possess chemoprotective properties that prevent cancer . Fruits, oats, legumes and vegetables (e.g.…”

“…The protective effect of dietary fibres against colorectal cancers was hypothesised as far back as the early 1970s , and this was followed by the discovery of the many possible anti‐carcinogenic mechanisms of dietary fibre as an explanation for the risk‐reducing causal pathways . The mechanistic pathways of how dietary fibres affect cancer cells have been examined , and some dietary fibres have been shown to generate different bioactive materials. One example is short‐chain fatty acids, which may provide a defence against cancer by increasing apoptosis, a process of programmed cell death .…”

Shaping functional gut microbiota using dietary bioactives to reduce colon cancer risk

“…Diets containing bioactive compounds that directly inhibit proliferation and promote apoptosis of transformed cells are promising strategies for the prevention of colon cancer. Additionally, certain food constituents can undergo metabolism by the microbiota to produce secondary bioactive compounds that then affect host physiology, such as the fermentation of dietary fiber into short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) [36–40]. In this review, we give an overview of the current understanding of dietary bioactives in modulating the molecular, microbial, and metabolome changes that occur during colon carcinogenesis.…”