http://www.health-post.com/bacon-link-to-bladder-cancer-risk.html
Bacon link to bladder cancer risk
Getting too hooked on a daily bacon sandwich may increase the risk
of bladder cancer, research suggests.
Harvard scientists found people who ate bacon at least five times a
week were 59% more likely to develop the disease than those who
never did.
They also found people who frequently ate skinless chicken had a
52% greater risk. Chemicals called nitrosamines and heterocyclic
amines may be to blame.
The study appears in the American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition.
The Harvard team studied data on nearly 136,000 people. The
participants were followed for up to 22 years, during which time
808 developed bladder cancer.
Nitrosamines, chemicals which are often found in processed meats
and in particularly high levels in bacon, are known to be
carcinogenic in high quantities.
Heterocyclic amines, also known carcinogens, form when meat is
cooked at high temperatures.
Compared with skinless chicken, cooked chicken with skin is known
to contain a smaller amount of heterocyclic amines.
More work needed
However, the research is far from definitive.
The researchers also found people who ate bacon and other processed
meats frequently were also more likely to smoke and to take in more
fat and fewer vitamins. They were also less likely to
exercise.
Dr Emma Knight, science information manager at Cancer Research UK,
said: "The link between diet and cancer is complex and difficult to
unravel but we know that eating lots of red and processed meat can
increase our risk of some types of cancer.
"More research is needed before we can say for sure whether or not
eating bacon in particular affects bladder cancer risk.
"For now, our advice remains to eat a balanced diet that is low in
fat, processed and red meat, and rich in vegetables, fruit and
fibre."
More than 10,000 people a year are diagnosed with bladder cancer in
the UK.
Source : bbc.co.uk
