Sausage Bacon Cancer

Sausages and bacon linked to pancreatic cancer
Processed meat can increase risk of deadly disease

Eating two bacon rashers a day can increase the risk of pancreatic cancer, according to new research.

A study published in the British Journal of Cancer found that every 50g of processed meat eaten a day - equivalent to a sausage or two rashers of bacon - raised the risk of developing pancreatic cancer by 19 per cent compared to those who ate none.

However, the overall risk of developing the disease was still low, scientists from the Karolinska Institut in Stockholm said.

The researchers came to the conclusion after analysing data from 11 studies involving more that 6,000 patients with pancreatic cancer.

The scientists found a 19 per cent increased risk of developing the disease in those who ate 50g of processed meat a day compared with those who ate none.

The risk jumped to 38 per cent for people who ate 100g, and 57 per cent for those who ate 150g of processed meat a day compared with people who did not eat any processed meat.

The study findings on eating red meat and pancreatic cancer risk were inconclusive, the scientists said.

The results showed a 29 per cent increase in pancreatic cancer risk for men who ate 120g of red meat a day compared with those who ate no meat, but no increased risk among women was shown.

This may be because men in the study tended to eat more red meat than women.

Around 8,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer annually. Among the common cancers it has one of the worst survival rates, as it is often diagnosed when the disease is at an advanced stage.

In the UK, the lifetime risk of developing pancreatic cancer is 1 in 77 for men and 1 in 79 for women. Smoking increases the risk of developing the disease by 74 per cent.

Sara Hiom, director of information at Cancer Research UK, said: "The jury is still out as to whether meat is a definite risk factor for pancreatic cancer and more large studies are needed to confirm this. But this new analysis suggests processed meat may be playing a role.

"We do know that, among lifestyle factors, smoking significantly ramps up the risk of pancreatic cancer. Stopping smoking is the best way to reduce your chances of developing many types of cancer and other diseases as well."

Source:http://uk.health.lifestyle.yahoo.net/sausages-and-bacon-linked-to-pancreatic-cancer.htm