ABSTRACT
DNA methylation is the best studied of the epigenetic changes that influence the gene expression,and changes in genomic methylation patterns have been observed in many cancer cell lines.Nutrients as methyl donors play essential roles in DNA methylation and may modify cancer risk.This review,with an emphasis on the relationship between nutrition,DNA methylation and cancer,firstly defines methylation with a description of its correlated mechanism,then approaches the molecular mechanism of cancer initiation and development at the methylation level,and lastly summarizes the mechanism underlying the effect of methylation-related nutrients on the process of cancer initiation and development at the molecular level.It also offers some suggestions on cancer prevention at the group nutrition level.