Day 297 - 08 Nov 96 - Page 16


     
     1
     2   MR JUSTICE BELL:  Forget mutated gene.  Unless you have the
     3        right genetic make-up, you need not worry about mutated
     4        genes as if they are something quite extraordinary, we are
     5        all absolutely full of them.
     6
     7   MS. STEEL:   I just think the gene issue is a bit of a red
     8        herring.  The point is that nobody knows what their
     9        individual risk is and everybody -----
    10
    11   MR. JUSTICE BELL:   No.
    12
    13   MS. STEEL:   Everybody is potentially at risk.
    14
    15   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  That is quite right.  I don't think I can get
    16        involved in genetics because we just did not go into it.
    17
    18   MS. STEEL:   Dr. Arnott admitted that the dietary link may be on
    19        the promotional or the progression side of the cancer
    20        process.  Day 22, page 40.  Also, obviously, that would be
    21        a causal factor.  He was referred to a report by Takishi
    22        Hiriama in 1978 which attributed a steady increase in
    23        breast cancer mortality and morbidity rate in Japanese
    24        women to the increase in dietary fat intake, and he
    25        conceded that there cannot be any genetic reason for this
    26        change.  Day 22, page 65.
    27
    28        Dr. Arnott, although he said that more research needed to
    29        be carried out...  Well, he said that more research needed
    30        to be carried out and the fact that some studies have
    31        indicated that there is a relationship between diet and
    32        cancer cannot be ignored.  That was on day 23, page 8.  He
    33        highlighted the well-known risk factors in relation to
    34        breast cancer and stated that they may be related to diet
    35        in terms of energy.  I think he termed it as 'restrictions
    36        on energy during childhood', but from memory I seem to
    37        recall there was an argument about whether it was
    38        restrictions or it just was not as excessive as the typical
    39        western diet.  I think that was in relation to the age at
    40        menarche, and so on.  That was my reference -- I am trying
    41        to think back.
    42
    43   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Is that the same reference or is that another
    44        page?
    45
    46   MS. STEEL:   That was day 23, page 9.  He did say that he was
    47        not aware of any studies of cancer concerning lifestyle
    48        that did not relate to diet.  That was on day 23, page 11.
    49        That was because I think I was asking him about...  He was
    50        talking about other lifestyle factors, and I was making the
    51        point that all the studies that we are aware of that refer
    52        to lifestyle were about diet rather than other lifestyle
    53        factors.  And within that section about what has been
    54        looked at into diet he agreed that within the diet fat and
    55        alcohol have been the ones that have attracted attention as
    56        possible causes of cancer, and fruit, vegetables and fibre
    57        as protective elements against cancer.  That was day 23,
    58        page 12.
    59
    60        I think this is going back to the point four, Dr. Arnott

Prev Next Index