Plant foods for the prevention and management of colon cancer.

Colon cancer is a common malignancy in the digestive system with a high prevalence in recent years. Dietary natural products have been widely investigated for the prevention and management of colon cancer. The studies showed that several plant foods have the potential to prevent and manage colon cancer, such as berries, plums, pomegranates, cruciferous vegetables, tomatoes, garlic, turmeric, ginger, soy, whole grains, and mushrooms. These plant foods usually contain fibers and phytochemicals that can restrain the development and progression of colon cancer in various ways, such as protecting against colon carcinogens, inhibiting tumor growth and metastasis, and inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. This review summarizes the potential prevention and management capabilities of plant foods and their bioactive components on colon cancer by epidemiological, experimental and clinical studies, and special attention is paid to the underlying mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]