A new study found another reason to cut back on how much red meat and processed meat you're eating.
As rates of colon cancer continue to rise in people 60 and younger, researchers are doing all they can to help folks lower their personal risk and determine the reason for the rise.
“We’ve known for quite some time now through population research that people who eat more amounts of processed meats, especially processed red meat, have a higher risk of colorectal cancer and other cancers, for that matter,” said Dr. Neil M. Iyengar , a breast medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York.
A recent study by researchers at Cleveland Clinic and published in the journal NPJ Precision Oncology takes this data one step further.
Researchers found that the metabolites, which are a byproduct of the body’s process of breaking down food , associated with red meat and processed meat are linked to colon cancer risk in younger adults.
“This study came to add more information to the previous studies, and what’s unique about this study is it used artificial intelligence and machine learning to understand and analyze the link between the metabolites of food byproducts and the microbiomes of our gut that can increase the risk of colorectal cancer,” said Dr. Maen Abdelrahim , the section chief of gastrointestinal medical oncology at Houston Methodist Neal Cancer Center.
By using an AI algorithm to analyze data from both younger and older people with colon cancer, researchers found that younger people had higher amounts of metabolites from red meat and processed meat in their blood than older people with the disease.
“I think that this study does help to add to a growing body of literature with regard to the impact of diet on cancer risk. And I think that what’s unique about this study is its specific focus and differentiation between patients with young onset colorectal cancer and kind of the more standard time of onset colon cancer,” Iyengar stated.
What’s more, he said, “This study helps to provide the potential for an actual biomarker or blood test where we might be able to, in a very precise way, risk-stratify folks in the future [in a way] that might actually be able to tell a person whether or not they’ve cut down enough” on red and processed meat.
Similar to how doctors monitor cholesterol over your lifetime, this study could help make way for a similar test that can monitor your colorectal cancer risk, Iyengar added.
How are red meat and processed meat linked to colon cancer?
There isn’t a definitive known reason as to why red meat and processed meat (which, to be clear, doesn’t have to be made of red meat) drive up someone’s colon cancer risk, but experts say there are a few theories.
Heme iron, which is a component of red meat, “actually can cause damage to the lining of the colon and cause inflammation and increase risk of cancer,” Abdelrahim said.
Additionally, the way red meat is frequently cooked plays a part, too.
“We know that high-temperature grilling and charcoaling can also generate carcinogenic compounds,” Iyengar said.
So, the char that appears on your hot dogs, burgers and steaks isn’t doing your health any favors. Experts recommend cutting off the charred parts or not cooking your meat to the point of charring.
What exactly is red meat and processed meat?
It’s fairly easy to understand what red meat is: “Red meat, we all we know that is the meat that is red when it is raw,” Abdelrahim said. However, along with beef, lamb, mutton, venison and goat, red meat also includes pork and veal .
Processed meat can be a little trickier to understand. How about things like turkey sausage, chicken sausage and those seemingly healthy beef sticks? Long story short, those are all processed, too, meaning they can increase your risk of colon cancer.
“When we talk about processed meat, it is actually the same meat product that’s been manipulated by adding preservatives or by changing the component of it by smoking or salting,” Abdelrahim explained. “So this process of changing the meat from its natural form to a different form by adding preservatives or chemicals or even salt or smoking, this is what we call the process, it’s not the natural meat that you cook on the stove and you eat.”
“You manipulate this meat by adding additives, adding preservatives, adding salt or manipulate by smoking,” he said.
The obvious processed meats are things like hot dogs, bacon and deli meat, but things like chicken sausage and turkey sausage fall in this category, too.
Chicken sausage and turkey sausage are processed white meats, making them less risky than a processed red meat, but they do still carry the overall risk that comes with processed meats, Abdelrahim said.
According to Abdelrahim, there is less harm in processed white meat than in processed red meat, but either way, there are additives and/or preservatives in it, which makes it less healthy than a chicken breast or turkey breast.
It's not known the exact reason why red meat and processed meat drive up your colon cancer risk.
This doesn’t mean you can’t ever eat red and processed meat, but you should limit it.
“For those people that do consume red meat ... there are data to suggest that there might be safe levels of red meat,” Iyengar said.
“The American Institute for Cancer Research suggests that if you do eat red meat, we should limit it to no more than three portions per week,” he said. A portion is about 4 to 6 ounces.
So, no more than 18 ounces of red meat a week is what the American Institute of Cancer Research suggests as a limit . And when it comes to processed meat, it’s recommended that you eat none or a very small amount, Iyengar said.
“I think people feel really intimidated when they see these dietary studies ... and I think ultimately, the way that we have to think about these and other nutrition studies or any kind of lifestyle study is that ... there are so many things that can potentially increase our cancer risk, but if you look at the effect size, which is, how much does a single item actually increase our cancer risk, most of the time it’s really quite small,” Iyengar said.
Meaning, indulging in a cheeseburger here and there isn’t going to drive up your colon cancer risk.
“There’s no single food that’s going to give you cancer. There’s no single food that’s going to cure your cancer, but it’s really your overall dietary pattern, your consistency with a healthy diet. If you’re at a celebration, a birthday, a holiday, July Fourth barbecue, something like that, and you consume a hot dog ... but your general dietary pattern is healthy, that’s OK. Our bodies are equipped to handle limited periods of indulgence,” he said, “It’s just in your day-to-day life, are you consuming an overall healthy dietary pattern that would then allow us for these periodic celebrations?”
Consider your lifestyle as a whole, too.
“If we focus on what we eat and what is our lifestyle in general, that can have a great impact on decreasing the risk,” Abdelrahim said.
Instead of choosing red meat and processed meat regularly, increasing your intake of fruit, veggies, fiber and whole grains is a good way to have a healthier gastrointestinal tract and a healthier body in general, Abdelrahim added. (Plus, research shows that a high-fiber diet can help lower your risk of colon cancer overall.)
Regular exercise, quitting smoking and limiting your alcohol intake are also helpful in decreasing your overall cancer risk, Abdelrahim said.
You should also stay up-to-date on all cancer screening tests, and in the case of colon cancer, that’s colonoscopies, which should begin at age 45 for most people, Abdelrahim stated.
If you have a family history of colon cancer, certain gene mutations and certain health problems, such as inflammatory bowel disease, you should talk to your doctor about starting your screenings even earlier .
Colon cancer and colon cancer deaths are increasing in younger people, particularly in Gen Xers and millennials, according to research . Though it can feel overwhelming to read news like this, knowledge can also be power.
This study helps show just how much of a role diet has in the development of colon cancer. By making the choices right for your body, you can do what you can to lower your risk.
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