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KMID : 0603519990040010052
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Journal of Korean Association of Cancer Prevention
1999 Volume.4 No. 1 p.52 ~ p.60
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Potential Correlation between Lactose Intolerance and Cancer Occurrence
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Chung Chai-Won
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Abstract
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Lactase, the B-galactosidase enzyme, is responsible for splitting lactose molecule into glucose and galactose. Levels of lactase activity are a crucial determinant of lactose intolerance. Lactose intolerance causes diarrhea and subsequent chronically induced diarrhea results in colitis with chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation often is linked to etiology of colon cancers. Two other hereditary disorders, uridyl transferase and galactokinase deficiency, such infants cannot utilize galactose, the sugar accumulates leading to cataracts, diarrhea, hepatomegaly, jaundice, and mental retardation as the child matures. Most soon die. A variant severe lactose intolerance is frequently linked to infant death. Prevalence of lactose maldigestion in adults based on the breath-hydrogen criteria in Korea, Japan, China, and South-East Asian countries ranges from 75∼100%, while, the US and European countries range 0∼75%. Thus, incidence of lactose intolerance in Asians is far greater than that of Caucasians. We have undertaken a retrospective studies to correlate between cancer incidence, death and dairy product consumption over the years in Korea, Japan, and the United States. The annual milk consumption per capita data from 1962 through 1995 in Korea was correlated to the total cancer incidence rates per 10,000 population from 1975 to 1996. The correlation coefficient was 0.953 and was highly significant. The average milk per capita consumption in Japan between 1930 and 1995 was significantly increased (4 fold increase). The correlation coefficient between the milk consumption per capita and the sum of cancer incidence in males and females was 0.943 and was highly significant. In the U.S., the milk onsumption from 1909 to 1997 was relatively constant, but consumption of milk derived products such as whole dried milk, ice cream, cream, and cheese. The correlation coefficient of milk-derived product consumption per capita and cancers per 100,000 population was 0.922 and was highly significant. These retrospective correlation between cancer incidence and dairy milk consumption are significant, however, clearly dairy consumption is not the sole etiology factor for increase incidence of cancer(s). Other dietary factors, such as types of fatty acids, vitamins, antioxidants and other natural chemopreventive chemicals in a variety of vegetables and fruits including restricted diets also play a significant role in cancer prevention. Prevention of chronic colonic inflammation can be a major contributing factor for colonic carcinoma. Further mechanistic studies are needed to elucidate a precise reason why certain cancer types are being increased. Furthermore, potential link between lactose intolerance-induced chronic colitis and increase in colon cancer incidence should be further studied by determining PGE2, PGF2∝, leukotrien B4, and cyclo-oxygenase 2 in flat colonic mucosal cells.
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KEYWORD
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Lactose, Lactase, Lactose intolerance, Dairy product consumption, Chronic colonic inflammation, Cancers
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