Day 265 - 19 Jun 96 - Page 11


     
     1        Walter Willett, who has published prolifically on the
     2        subject, whose findings have been cited in this case would,
     3        if called, agree with this account.  Evidence on fat and
     4        colo-rectal cancer now is much the same as it was five or
     5        ten years ago."
     6
     7             Now, of those relating to fat and breast cancer what
     8        is your view?  You have put three explanations; what is
     9        your view on the relationship between fat and breast
    10        cancer?
    11        A.   Well, I think one of the reasons why people in the
    12        field now will say that the area is controversial is
    13        because there are those three explanations, any of which is
    14        consistent with the evidence.  It is true to say that
    15        Professor Willett who, as the Court may have heard,
    16        emphatically believes as a leading scientist in the field
    17        that fat is not related to breast cancer at all, although
    18        he always qualifies that judgment in any written statement
    19        in the way that I have indicated here.  I know that to be
    20        true anyway, because I have discussed this issue with
    21        Walter Willett frequently myself.
    22
    23   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I cannot take that into account.
    24
    25   MR. RAMPTON:  This problem attaches to the whole -- I have just
    26        read through --
    27
    28   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I know it does, but I am not prepared to
    29        exclude it.  But I cannot have a witness, Mr. Morris,
    30        telling me what some expert has said to him.  It just is
    31        not admissible.
    32
    33   MS STEEL:  We had Miss Pearce telling us what some inspector had
    34        told her.
    35
    36   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  No, no.  That was completely different.
    37
    38   MS STEEL:  Why?
    39
    40   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  That was for the fact that it was said, for
    41        whatever that might be worth.  This could only be adduced
    42        in the hope that it would go to the truth.
    43
    44   MR. MORRIS:  Mr. Cannon, what is your view on the relationship
    45        between fat, or indeed diet, and breast cancer?
    46        A.  My own opinion is that the explanation which is most
    47        consistent with the facts, or with the evidence, is that
    48        the main determinant of diet on breast cancer, and
    49        specifically fat on breast cancer, is diets eaten in early
    50        life. 
    51 
    52   Q.   Right.  What we have heard to be the age of menarche, the 
    53        effect on the age of menarche, or is it more than?
    54        A.  Relatively early menarche is an established respecter
    55        for breast cancer, yes.  The issue there is whether that is
    56        in any sense diet related.
    57
    58   Q.   So what is your view?
    59        A.   Yes, it is, because evidence from all over the world
    60        indicates that on a population basis age of menarche, which

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