After all, burning or charring meat does result in the development of cancer-causing substances.
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You can certainly be forgiven for thinking this is déjà vu all over again, or that your browser is mysteriously pulling up old news.
The World Health Organization warned last month that processed meats – including bacon, hot dogs and sausages – can cause colon cancer.
A new study in the Journal of Cancer Research links higher meat consumption with a higher risk of kidney cancer. They also ate more meat cooked at high temperatures or over an open flame – such as pan-fried, grilled or barbecued.
Researchers confirmed that the participants consumed meat and were exposed to mutagens in meat that were created when cooked at high temperatures. A few people may see this new study as a reason to give up meat, but, like most things, moderation is key.
However, Gapstur said that the risk for kidney cancer among people with these genetic mutations is not almost as great as the risk for breast cancer linked to BRCA mutations.
Population studies found a definite tie to cooked meat and the development of cancer in humans, but the prior studies using detailed food questions have found that more consumption of well done, barbeque or fried meats is linked to a higher risk of developing cancer of the prostate, pancreas and colon.
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According to the study, the increased risk of cancer is not only related to the method of cooking meat and the type of meat that people we are consuming, but also to the amount that we eat, as it seems western diets more often than not include large quantities of meat. Most processed meats contain pork or beef, but processed meats may also contain other red meats, poultry, offal or meat by-products such as blood. IARC director Christopher Wild said that red meats still have nutritional value and recommends limiting how much meat one consumes. These cooking techniques cause two carcinogens to form: 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenyl-imidazo(4,5-b) pyridine (PhIP) and amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo(4,5-f) quinoxaline (MeIQx). While the study has not managed to link the consumption of this type of meat to the rise in cancer risk directly, as the findings are based on surveys about eating habits in both people with and without a cancer diagnosis, the researchers have called it a “red flag” and have continued to study it.
