Red meat and colorectal cancer risk confirmed

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People who eat red meat and processed meat have an increased of developing colorectal cancer, according to the results of a large review of the published literature, which will be published in the International Journal of Cancer.

Many studies have documented this relationship, "although the associations were usually not statistically significant," write Drs. Susanna C. Larsson and Alicja Wolk, of the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm.

The researchers collected 15 studies on red meat (including 7367 subjects) and 14 studies on processed meat (including 7903 subjects).

Compared with those who ate the least red meat, subjects who ate the most, had a 28-percent increased risk of colorectal cancer. For processed meat, the increased risk was about 20 percent.

Men who ate 120 grams per day of red meat had a 28-percent increased risk of colorectal cancer, and those who ate 30 grams per day of processed meat had a 9-percent increased risk.

There was a positive association between both types of meat and both types of cancer. However, red meat was more strongly associated with rectal cancer.

SOURCE: International Journal of Cancer, December 2006.