The main objectives of this conference will be to review the state-of-the-art of research on the links between nutrition and cancer and carry out a critical analysis of the data collected by the many scientific studies devoted to this subject.

This conference will bring together a broad range of international researchers with various backgrounds and different research perspectives, to examine this topic from a multifactorial and multidisciplinary point of view.

Nutrition will be considered in terms of the diversity of dietary habits, and the various mechanisms of carcinogenesis under study today, in order to explain the observed associations between diet (and nutrition) and cancer. As an example, the speakers will describe the relationships between endogenous hormone balance and diet, physical activity, obesity and genetic susceptibility, an area of growing interest.

Since 1991, the IARC, thanks to funding from the European Union, has been coordinating the EPIC study (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition), which is the largest study ever conducted on the relationship between diet and cancer, with over 500,000 subjects in 10 European countries.

This prospective study aims at elucidating the cause-effect relationships between dietary balance, anthropometric measurements, physical activity and hormonal factors as well as genetic susceptibility factors, and cancer.

The first EPIC results will be presented at the Lyon conference, particularly on the relationship between diet and the major cancers prevalent in industrialized countries.

Through this wide approach, the study will also allow valuable conclusions to be drawn in terms of prevention and health policies.

Related website:

Conference Website

[Contact: Dr. Nicolas Gaudin]

20-Jun-2001