By Ed Susman, MedPage Today Staff Writer Reviewed by Zalman S. Agus, MD; Emeritus Professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. April 21, 2005 Also covered by: BBC News, Forbes, MSNBC http://www.medpagetoday.com/tbindex.cfm?tbid=924&thePhoto=Today's&CatName=Gastroenterology Review ANAHEIM, April 21-Diets heavy in red meat, processed meats, and pork appear to put individuals at an increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer, researchers reported here today.
In a preliminary analysis of dietary data from 190,545 men and women by a group at the University of Hawaii, there was a 67% increased risk of pancreatic cancer among those with the highest levels of processed meat consumption compared with those who consumed the least. That increase was statistically significant at the p=.002 level.
"There is also a 50% increased risk of pancreatic cancer among those who were in the highest quintile of consumption of red meat compared to the lowest quintile (p<.0001)," Ute Nothlings, Dr.PH., reported at the American Association for Cancer Research meeting here. "There was also a 50% increased risk among those who ate the most pork (p=.0005)."
The researchers took into account alcohol, smoking diabetes, age and other risk factors and still found the intake of the meats were independent factors.
Dr. Nothlings said that people in the highest quintile for processed meat consumption said they ate about 40 grams of processed meat a day -- about 1.5 ounces, or the equivalent of a hot dog. Red meat eaters ate about 70 grams of red meat a day, about 2.5 ounces.
She and colleagues examined data from the massive Multiethnic Cohort Study that looks at the dietary, lifestyle and other factors of African-American, Japanese-American, Caucasian, Latino and Native Hawaiian men and women -- half in Hawaii and half in California.
She said her analysis leads her to believe that there is something about the preparation of the processed meats and the red meat and pork that has something to do with their association with pancreatic cancer.
In the cohort study, 482 cases of pancreatic cancer occurred over the seven years that were analyzed. Consumption of poultry, fish, dairy products and eggs showed no link to pancreatic cancer risk, nor did overall intake of total fat, saturated fat or cholesterol.
In commenting on the study at a press briefing when the results were discussed, William Nelson, M.D., of Johns Hopkins said, "These prospective large epidemiological studies give us the best data because none of these patients knew before answering the questions that they were going to get any illness. The biases are removed."
He said the results detailed by Dr. Nothlings might "nudge" people further towards eating fish and poultry and eating a healthier overall diet.
Dr. Nothlings said new questionnaires that will be sent to participants in the cohort will ask about how meats are prepared which could add insight as to where a possible causative agent lies.
Primary source: American Association for Cancer Research Source reference: Abstract 5821: Meat intake increases the risk for pancreatic cancer: The Multiethnic Cohort.