Red Meat May Increase Colon Cancer Risk

Consumption of red meat may increase the risk of developing colon cancer, according to a new study.

The study followed the meat consumption of 300,000 respondents over seven years. During that time, 2,710 cases of colon cancer were found in red meat eaters.

The review was made by a team from the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics at the US National Cancer Institute.

Those who ate the most red and processed meat showed a higher risk of developing colorectal cancer than those who consumed less.

Heme iron is particularly high in red meat and nitrates are mostly found in processed meats such as salami and hot dogs, the researchers said.

Heterocyclic amines are produced when the meat is cooked at a high temperature and are known to be mutagenic, meaning that they can alter DNA, increasing the rate of cell production that can lead to cancer.