A new study suggests that the consumption of processed meats increases the risk of pancreatic cancer.
January 14, 2012- Researchers from Sweden say eating processed meats such as sausages and bacon have been linked to pancreatic cancer. They said by just eating an additional 50g daily of processed meat, the equivalent to about one sausage, the risk of pancreatic cancer is increased by 19%.
Nevertheless, the risk of developing the cancer remains very low, as it is one of the rarest forms of cancer. Eating processed and red meat has been previously linked to a risk of developing bowel cancer. Because of that link, many medical experts suggest only 70g of the meat should be consumed daily.
The recent study in Sweden analyzed over 6,600 patients who had pancreatic cancer. It found eating processed meats increased the possibilities of developing pancreatic cancer. One lead author of the research said, “Survival rates are very low for pancreatic cancer, therefore it is important to be aware of everything that can increase the possibility of developing the cancer.”
Researchers say meat’s link to the cancer is still not determined, but the new study suggests that processed meats may have a role in developing the cancer. There is also evidence that being obese or overweight also increases the risk of developing pancreatic cancer.
Researchers said they would continue to examine the factors behind the cause of pancreatic cancer and its possible link to processed meats.
It was interesting to see which components of the meat were to blame, based on the NIH/AARP study: http://nutritionfacts.org/videos/largest-study-ever/