Regularly eating processed meat such as sausages, hot dogs and bacon is linked to a higher risk of stomach cancer and esophageal cancer, according to a new study published in the International Journal of Cancer.
Researchers analyzed data from 450,112 participants in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) project, who were followed for an average of 14 years. During that time, the study recorded 876 cases of stomach cancer and 215 cases of esophageal adenocarcinoma.
Risk Rises With Every Extra Portion
The researchers found that every additional 30 grams of processed meat eaten per day was associated with a 9 percent increase in the risk of stomach cancer and a 13 percent increase in the risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma. For intestinal-type stomach cancer specifically, the risk rose by 11 percent for the same increment.
The team also examined red and white meat consumption separately. They found no significant link between red meat and either cancer. However, an additional 20 grams of white meat per day was associated with a 12 percent increase in the risk of one type of stomach cancer, though the study authors said this finding needs to be confirmed by further research.
An Observational Study, Not Proof of Cause
Because the research was observational, it does not prove that processed meat directly causes cancer. The authors said the results add to existing evidence linking frequent consumption of such products to cancers of the digestive system.
EPIC is one of the largest ongoing studies of diet and cancer in Europe, tracking hundreds of thousands of participants across multiple countries over many years to examine how nutrition affects long-term disease risk. Processed meats, which are preserved through salting, curing, fermentation or smoking, have already drawn scrutiny from health researchers over their links to cancers of the digestive tract.
Earlier research cited by the study's authors found that foods rich in carotenoids and vitamin A may lower the risk of stomach cancer.
