The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study is a Europe-wide prospective cohort study of the relationships between diet and cancer, as well as other chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease. With over half a million participants, it is the largest study of diet and disease to be undertaken. European redirects here. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Cohort (statistics). ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Nutrition. ... Cancer is a class of diseases or disorders characterized by uncontrolled division of cells and the ability of these cells to invade other tissues, either by direct growth into adjacent tissue through invasion or by implantation into distant sites by metastasis. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Coronary heart disease. ...

EPIC is coordinated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization, and funded by the 'Europe Against Cancer' programme of the European Commission as well as multiple nation-specific grants and charities. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC, or CIRC in its French acronym) is an intergovernmental agency forming part of the World Health Organisation of the United Nations. ... The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations, acting as a coordinating authority on international public health, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. ... The European Commission (formally the Commission of the European Communities) is the executive body of the European Union. ...

521,457 healthy adults, mostly aged 35-70 years, were enrolled in 23 centres in ten European countries: Denmark (11%), France (14%), Germany (10%), Greece (5%), Italy (9%), The Netherlands (8%), Norway (7%), Spain (8%), Sweden (10%) and the United Kingdom (17%). One UK centre (Oxford) recruited 27,000 vegetarians and vegans; this subgroup forms the largest study of this dietary group. Recruitment to the study took place between 1993 and 1999, and follow up is planned for at least ten years, with repeat interview/questionnaires every three to five years. The main prospective data collected are standardised dietary questionnaires (self administered or interview based), seven-day food diaries, blood samples and anthropometric measurements, such as body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio. Motto: Je Maintiendrai (Dutch: Ik zal handhaven, English: I Shall Uphold) Anthem: Wilhelmus van Nassouwe Capital Amsterdam1 Largest city Amsterdam Official language(s) Dutch2 Government Parliamentary democracy Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Beatrix  - Prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende Independence Eighty Years War   - Declared July 26, 1581   - Recognised January 30, 1648 (by Spain... For animals adapted to eat primarily plants, sometimes referred to as vegetarian animals, see Herbivore. ... Hens kept in cramped conditions — the avoidance of animal suffering is the primary motivation of people who become vegans A vegan is a person who avoids the ingestion or use of animal products. ... A questionnaire (also known as self-administered survey) is a type of survey handed out in paper form usually to a specific demographic to gather information in order to provider better service or goods. ... It has been suggested that Bertillion Record be merged into this article or section. ... Body mass index (BMI) or Quetelet Index is a statistical measure of the weight of a person scaled according to height. ... Waist-to-hip ratio or Waist-hip ratio (WHR) is the ratio of the girth of waist and the girth of hip. ...

Up to 2004, there were over 26,000 new cases of cancer recorded among participants. Current analyses are focusing particularly on stomach, colorectal, breast, prostate and lung cancers. The different dietary patterns in the different countries should enable reliable associations to be made between particular diets and cancers. The analysis of stored blood samples should also allow dissection of genetic factors involved in cancers, as well as the effects of hormones and hormone-like factors. Stomach cancer (also called gastric cancer) can develop in any part of the stomach and may spread throughout the stomach and to other organs, particularly the esophagus, small intestine. ... Colorectal cancer, also called colon cancer or bowel cancer, includes cancerous growths in the colon, rectum and appendix. ... Breast cancer is cancer of breast tissue. ... Prostate cancer is a disease in which cancer develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. ... Lung cancer is a cancer of the lungs characterized by the presence of malignant tumours. ... A hormone (from Greek horman - to set in motion) is a chemical messenger from one cell (or group of cells) to another. ...

Selected papers

• Bingham SA, Day NE, Luben R, et al. Dietary fibre in food and protection against colorectal cancer in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC): an observational study. Lancet (2003) 361: 1496-1501
• Gonzalez CA, Jakszyn P, Pera G, et al. Meat intake and risk of stomach and esophageal adenocarcinoma within the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). J. Natl Cancer Inst. (2006) 98: 345-354
• Khaw KT, Bingham S, Welch A, et al. Relation between plasma ascorbic acid and mortality in men and women in EPIC-Norfolk prospective study: a prospective population study. European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. Lancet (2001) 357: 657-663
• Miller AB, Altenburg HP, Bueno-de-Mesquita B, et al. Fruits and vegetables and lung cancer: Findings from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. Int. J. Cancer (2004) 108: 269-276
• Trichopoulou A, Orfanos P, Norat T, et al. Modified Mediterranean diet and survival: EPIC-elderly prospective cohort study. BMJ (2005) 330:991 (PDF)
• van Gils CH, Peeters PH, Bueno-de-Mesquita HB, et al. Consumption of vegetables and fruits and risk of breast cancer. JAMA (2005) 293: 183-193
• Verheus M, Peeters PH, Rinaldi S, et al. Serum C-peptide levels and breast cancer risk: results from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). Int. J. Cancer (2006) 119: 659-667

External links

• EPIC project (IARC)
• EPIC study (CR UK)
• EPIC (Oxford centre) (preferentially recruited vegetarians & vegans)