Day 022 - 12 Sep 94 - Page 41
1 almost certainly reversible.
2
3 Q. Does that mean this? Let us suppose for a moment it were
4 established that fat had a causative effect so far as
5 cancer is concerned -- just assume that for the moment.
6 A. Yes.
7
8 Q. Suppose the evidence were overwhelming so far as that was
9 concerned, just like smoking.
10 A. Yes.
11
12 Q. Does that mean, nevertheless, that you can eat as much fat
13 as you like, unless you have the right genetic makeup or,
14 perhaps I should say, the wrong genetic makeup, you will
15 not get cancer?
16 A. It is believed that that may well be true, yes. It is
17 just like even with cigarette smoking there is thought to
18 be -----
19
20 Q. Hence the man who tells you he has smoked 60 a day, and
21 here he is 88 and never had a cough in his life?
22 A. That is right. I mean, I think the genetic aspect of
23 things are very complex because we are learning about
24 possible cancer genes, onco genes, and the fact that we
25 have genes that maybe act in a protective way, there is a
26 sort of genetic balance even within the cell, so that even
27 the genetic side of things is not just straightforward; it
28 is quite a complex issue.
29
30 MR. MORRIS: Just going back to the genetic component. I do
31 not know what this document is from actually; it is that
32 one I referred to before: "Can you avoid cancer?" It was
33 number 58 in that nutrition.
34
35 MS. STEEL: It is the second volume.
36
37 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Pink VI.
38
39 MS. STEEL: No, it is the Defendants' blue II.
40
41 MR. MORRIS: No. 58. Could you note, it is called: "Can you
42 avoid cancer? A guide to reducing your risks". On the
43 back of it, if you look at what I presume is the back page
44 of the file, it has the logos of the Health Educational
45 Authority, that is Britain's, The Cancer Education
46 Co-ordinating Group of the United Kingdom and Republic of
47 Ireland, the Scottish Health Education Group which seems
48 to be the people that produced this under the funding from
49 the EEC. Anyway, that is the logos on it.
50
51 If we look at page 8 -- it is 8 and 9 in fact -- in that
52 document, it is internal page 8, it says: "Is cancer
53 hereditary? Generally no. There are only a few forms of
54 cancer that can be hereditary and they are very rare.
55 However, there are some families in which one type of
56 cancer does seem to crop up more frequently than usual-
57 such as breast, ovarian and bowel cancer and malignant
58 melanoma. In many cases this could be sheer chance. In
59 others either it could be something to do with family
60 lifestyle such as eating habits, or it could be something
