Our research has focused on the etiology of cancers, particularly malignancies of the colorectum and prostate. Our recent studies have helped clarify the causes of colorectal cancer. We have found that a diet high in red meat and alcohol, and low in folate and methionine increases risk of this malignancy. Also, physical activity and regular use of aspirin appear to decrease risk, and smoking increases risk. We are currently examining whether folate supplementation reduces risk of recurrent colorectal adenomas in a randomized, intervention trial. We are also studying the hypothesis that alcohol, folate and methionine, and genetic factors related to their metabolism, interact to influence risk of colorectal cancer by affecting DNA methylation.

We also plan to explore whether high levels of insulin and insulin-like growth factor promote colon cancers. Our other main line of research involves prostate cancer. We have found that high intake of animals fats and low intake of lycopene, a carotenoid found in tomatoes, are probably important in causing prostate cancer. We plan to collect prostate tumor tissue to study these relationships in more detail.

M.D., 1984, University of Pittsburgh
Sc.D., 1992, Harvard School of Public Health

Giovannucci E, Liu Y, Platz EA, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC. Risk factors for prostate cancer incidence and progression in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. International Journal of Cancer 2007;121(7):1571-1578. 

Giovannucci E, Rimm EB, Stampfer MJ, Colditz GA, Ascherio A, and Willett WC. Intake of fat, meat and fiber in relation to risk of colon cancer in men. Cancer Research, 1994, 54:2390-2397.

Giovannucci E, Ascherio A, Rimm EB,Colditz GA, Stampfer MJ, and Willett WC. Physical activity, obesity and risk for colon cancer and adenoma in men. Annals Internal Medicine, 1995, 122:327-334.

Giovannucci E, Rimm EB, Ascherio A, Stampfer MJ, Colditz GA, and Willett WC. Alcohol, low-methionine-low-folate diets and the risk of colon cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst, 1995, 87:265-273.

Giovannucci E, Egan KM, Hunter DJ, Stampfer MJ, Colditz GA, Willett WC. and Speizer FE. Aspirin and risk of colorectal cancer in women. New England Journal of Medicine, 1995, 333:609-614.

Giovannucci E, Rimm EB, Colditz GA, Stampfer MJ, Ascherio A, Chute CC, and Willett WC. A prospective study of dietary fat and risk of prostate cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst, 1993, 85:1571-1579.