Study Links Red Meat to Breast Cancer

A British study has found an association between breast cancer risk and red meat, reports Reuters (today.reuters.com). The Study, which was conducted by Professor Janet E. Cade and her colleagues at the University of Leeds was originally reported in the British Journal of Cancer.

The detailed study followed 35,372 women, who were between the ages of 35 and 69 years of age. The researchers followed the subjects for eight tears. They found that the women who ate the largest amounts of meat were more likely to develop breast cancer than non-meat eaters.

The meat-cancer link was stronger in post menopausal women. Red and processed meat seemed to elevate the risk the most. Women who consumed the most red meat, defined as two or more ounces daily, were 56 percent more likely to develop breast cancer than women who did not eat red meat.

Three ounces of a piece of meat is about the size of a deck of cards, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research.

Processed meat showed an even more dramatic increase of breast cancer risk. Women who ate more than three quarters of an ounce of processed meat daily showed a 64 percent cancer risk increase.

Premenopausal woman did not show as strong of an association, but women with high red meat intakes were still 20 percent more likely to develop breast cancer, when compared to non-meat eaters.

There are a number of theories for the reason that meat intake may be associated with breast cancer risk. One theory is that the saturated fat in meat may promote the growth of tumor cells. The second theory is that certain compounds that are produced when meat is grilled promote tumor growth.

Studies have come to conflicted conclusions over the connection between meat and breast cancer. The American Institute of Cancer Research suggests that women eat meat in moderation. The recommendation is that women limit their intake of red meat to less that three ounces per day.

Dietary suggestions are to eat meat in moderation and increase fruits and vegetables.

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