Vlees en vleesproducten verhogen kans op prostaatkanker*
Uit een Amerikaanse studie onder ruim 170.000 mannen blijkt dat het regelmatig eten van roodvlees en vleesproducten de kans op prostaatkanker duidelijk kan doen toenemen. Zij die het meeste roodvlees aten hadden 12% meer kans op prostaatkanker maar ook 31% meer kans op een agressieve vorm van prostaatkanker. Voor vleesproducten was die verhoogde kans resp. 7 en 32%. Voor vlees van de barbecue was die verhoogde kans resp. 11% en 36%. Tenslotte zij die het meeste bewerkt vlees zoals hotdogs, bacon, worstjes en hammen (waar vaak nitrieten als conserveermiddel gebruikt worden) eten hebben een verhoogde kans van resp. 24 en 31%.
Meat and Meat-related Compounds and Risk of Prostate Cancer in a Large Prospective Cohort Study in the United States
A new study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology suggests that eating too much red and processed meats may increase risk of prostate cancer.
The study showed that a high intake of meat is associated with an elevated risk of prostate cancer, which is diagnosed in more than 170,000 men in the United States and kills about 40,000 each year.
Sinha R and colleagues at the National Cancer Institute
analyzed data from 174,343 US men aged 50 to 71 who were followed up for nine years to record prostate cancer cases. Study subjects were surveyed for their intake of meat.
During the follow-up between 1995 and 2003, 10,313 prostate cancer cases with 1,102 advanced and 419 fetal cases were registered.
Compared to men who consumed the lowest quintile of red meat intake, those who consumed the highest quintile of red meat intake were at 12 percent increased risk of total prostate cancer. For processed meat, the risk was increased by 7 percent.
Highest intake of red meat and processed meat was associated with 31 percent and 32 percent increased risk of advanced prostate cancer, respectively.
Highest intakes of heme iron, barbecued/grilled meat, and benzo[a]pyrene were all positively associated with a 9, 11, and 9 percent increased risk of total prostate cancer, respectively.
The risk for advanced prostate cancer in men who had the highest intakes of heme iron, barbecued/grilled meat, and benzo[a]pyrene was increased by 28, 36 and 28 percent higher respectively, compared with those whose intakes were lowest.
Highest intakes of nitrite and nitrate, both used as preservatives in processed meats such as hotdogs, bacon, sausages and hams
, were associated with 24 percent and 31 percent increased risk of prostate cancer.
The researchers concluded "Red and processed meat may be positively associated with prostate cancer via mechanisms involving heme iron, nitrite/nitrate, grilling/barbecuing, and benzo[a]pyrene."
The study is merely an association and the results do not mean that eating meat would definitely increase risk of prostate cancer. Further studies are needed to clarify whether or not there is a causal relationship between meat consumption and risk of prostate
cancer.
Abstract:
Rashmi Sinha*, Yikyung Park, Barry I. Graubard, Michael F. Leitzmann, Albert Hollenbeck, Arthur Schatzkin and Amanda J. Cross
* Correspondence to Dr. Rashmi Sinha, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, 6120 Executive Blvd., Rockville, MD 20892 (e-mail: sinhar@nih.gov).
The authors examined associations between meat consumption (type, cooking method, and related mutagens), heme iron, nitrite/nitrate, and prostate cancer in a cohort of 175,343 US men aged 50–71 years. During 9 years of follow-up (1995–2003), they ascertained 10,313 prostate cancer cases (1,102 advanced) and 419 fatal cases. Hazard ratios comparing the fifth intake quintile with the first revealed elevated risks associated with red and processed meat for total (red meat: hazard ratio (HR) = 1.12, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04, 1.21; processed meat: HR = 1.07, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.14) and advanced (red meat: HR = 1.31, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.65; processed meat: HR = 1.32, 95% CI: 1.08, 1.61) prostate cancer. Heme iron, barbecued/grilled meat, and benzo[a]pyrene were all positively associated with total (HR = 1.09 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.17), HR = 1.11 (95% CI: 1.03, 1.19), and HR = 1.09 (95% CI: 1.00, 1.18), respectively) and advanced (HR = 1.28 (95% CI: 1.03, 1.58), HR = 1.36 (95% CI: 1.10, 1.69), and HR = 1.28 (95% CI: 1.00, 1.65), respectively) disease. Nitrite (HR = 1.24, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.51) and nitrate (HR = 1.31, 95% CI: 1.07, 1.61) intakes were associated with advanced prostate cancer. There were no clear associations for fatal prostate cancer. Red and processed meat may be positively associated with prostate cancer via mechanisms involving heme iron, nitrite/nitrate, grilling/barbecuing, and benzo[a]pyrene.
American Journal of Epidemiology 2009 170(9):1165-1177; doi:10.1093/aje/kwp280
(November 2009)
