We all love barbecue, but a study suggested eating too much barbecued meat might increase the risk of kidney cancer (Renal Cell Carcinoma).
Barbecue involves cooking meat at high temperatures. However, cooking meat at high temperatures might result in the formation and ingestion of carcinogenic compounds, including heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).
Given the kidney’s role in metabolism and urinary excretion of these compounds, it is possible that these carcinogens might increase the risk of kidney cancer. Now a new study published at the British Journal of Cancer has confirmed this hypothesis.
The investigators looked the diet of 1192 individuals who had kidney cancer and compared their diets with 1,175 of healthy patients. They also estimated the amount of carcinogenic compounds HCAs and PAHs consumed using a special diet history questionnaire.
They discovered that high intake of barbecued meat increased the risk of kidney cancer by 50%. Also, African Americans and current smokers who ingested high quantity of barbecued meat were 2 times more likely to developed kidney cancer.
This study confirms that intake of PAH in barbecued meat was positively associated with kidney cancer. While it is not possible to eliminate barbecue meat from our diet, we should try to limit the our intake.
Renal cell carcinoma (RCC), the most common kidney neoplasm in adults. It is more common in men than women, and the rates remain higher in African Americans. Despite associations with diet-related chronic conditions, such as obesity, hypertension, and diabetes, dietary risk factors for RCC are not well established. Intake of fruits and vegetables may lower RCC whereas high meat intake may increase risk.
Source: British Journal of Cancer, 2011
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