A study on dietary intake of retinol and beta-carotene was conducted in 51 patients affected by gastric (23 cases) and colorectal (28 cases) carcinoma, considering the period preceding the onset of their illness. In all patients were measured serum retinol levels. The data were compared with those in 44 control subjects. Mean values of retinol and beta-carotene intake in the two groups showed not significant differences. The mean serum levels of retinol were similar in controls and in cancer patients (68.1 and 66.8 micrograms/dl, respectively). Our data fail to confirm previous observations about relationship between alimentary intake of retinol and beta-carotene and risk of gastrointestinal cancer.