In a new study published early online in Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, researchers reported that meat related compounds in the processing methods may increase the risk of bladder cancer. In this prospective study-the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study- the researchers used data gathered from 300,000 men and women aged 50 to 71 years on questionnaires that assessed the type of meat consumed, and how it was prepared and cooked. At the beginning of the study in 1995 to 1996 the subjects completed dietary and lifestyle questionnaires about their usual consumption of foods and drinks. Followed over 8 years 854 of the subjects developed bladder cancer.
Those whose diet was highest in total dietary nitrite from all sources and those who had the highest amount of nitrate and nitrite from processed meats had a 28 to 29% increased rate of developing bladder cancer compared with those who consumed the lowest amount of nitrate and nitrite. Further studies are recommended and more information is available in the original article.
