990267 Meat Compound May Not Be Carcinogenic

New York - A compound found in cooked meat may not be the 'missing link' connecting high red meat consumption with increased cancer risk, researchers conclude.

“Intake of heterocyclic amines, within the usual dietary range... is unlikely to increase the incidence of cancer in the colon, rectum, bladder, or kidney,” write Dr. Katarina Augustsson of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, and researchers there and elsewhere in Sweden. Their findings are published in the February 27th issue of the British journal The Lancet.

Numerous studies have suggested an association between high dietary consumption of red meat and an increased risk of cancer. Heterocyclic amines -- found in the charred parts of meat and fish -- emerged as compounds that may be responsible for this increased risk.

The Swedish team focused their research efforts on heterocyclic amines. They interviewed nearly 1,600 adult Swedes regarding their everyday consumption of meat dishes rich in these compounds. About two thirds of those interviewed had a history of colon, rectal, kidney, or bladder cancer, while the remaining third were healthy 'controls.'

Augustsson's team found no consistent relationship between heterocyclic amine intake and cancer risk. They point out that their results show that rates of colon and rectal cancer actually decreased as heterocyclic amine intake rose. On the other hand, high heterocyclic amine consumption was associated with a slight rise in the overall incidence of bladder cancer. Risk for kidney cancer did not appear to be affected by heterocyclic amine intake.

The authors conclude that ingestion of the meat compound is “not a major cause of the cancers we investigated.” They speculate that other suspected carcinogens in red meat -- including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons or nitrosamines -- might help trigger human cancers.

In an editorial, Dr. David Forman of the University of Leeds, UK, cautions that the Swedish findings do not altogether rule out heterocyclic amines as possible carcinogens. He points out that individual humans metabolize these compounds at different rates and in different ways. “The possibility remains that (heterocyclic amine) exposure... is a risk factor for cancer but only in individuals with the appropriate genetic background,” he explained.

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