Meat and meat-related compounds and risk of prostate cancer in a large prospective cohort study in the United States.

Full Abstract

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.

Author information

Author/s: Sinha, Rashmi (R); Park, Yikyung (Y); Graubard, Barry I (BI); Leitzmann, Michael F (MF); Hollenbeck, Albert (A); Schatzkin, Arthur (A); Cross, Amanda J (AJ);

Affiliation: Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: American journal of epidemiology (Am J Epidemiol), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Nov; vol 170 (issue 9) : pp 1165-77

Dates: Created 2009/10/16; Completed 2009/11/04;

PMID: 19808637, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/4/2009, IMS Date: )

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