> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.foodconsumer.org/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Carcinogens in cooked meat linked to colorectal cancer
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/cooked_meat_colorectal_cancer_0804121105/
- Published: 2012-08-05T00:04:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T15:53:15.000Z
- Description: Comparing 413 colorectal adenoma cases with 796 controls, Zurich researchers found risk rose with intake of PhIP, MeIQx and DiMeIQx, heterocyclic amines formed in grilled, fried and roasted meat. SULT1A1 phenotype modified the MeIQx effect; other gene variants did not.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Cancer, Avoiding Illness, #vivvo-import

By David Liu, PHD

Saturday Aug 2012 ([foodconsumer.org](http://www.foodconsumer.org/)) -- Almost all epidemiological studies have associated consumption of meat, particularly red meat and processed meat, with elevated risk of developing colorectal cancer, particularly colon cancer. 

A new study in Cancer Causes and Control on June 28, 2012 further found the risk of colorectal cancer may be increased by heterocyclic aromatic amines (HCA) - carcinogens found in red meat and processed meat.

A. Barbie of Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Zurich in Zürich, Switzerland and colleagues compared 413 colorectal adenoma cases with 796 controls to examine if the types of polymorphisms in the HCA-metabolizing genes have an effect on the association of HCA intake with colorectal adenoma (CRA) risk. Colorectal adenomas are precursors to colorectal cancer.

The researchers found CRA risk was positively associated with intake of PhIP, MeIQx, and DiMeIQx, carcinogens found in meat cooked at high temperature such as grilled, fried, and roasted meat.

SULT1A1 phenotypes modified the effect of MeIQx on CRA risk. But other genetic variants did not significantly affect the association of meat intake with risk of colorectal adenomas.

An estimated 103,170 cases of colon cancer and 40,290 cases of rectal cancer are expected in 2012 in the United States and colorectal cancer may kill 61,690 in the same year in the country, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Colorectal cancer in many cases is preventable. Simply following a healthy lifestyle including a healthy diet may reduce the risk of the disease drastically.