Meat-cooking compounds increase the risk of kidney cancer

Following a recent report by WHO suggesting the consumption of red and processed meat can increase the risk of colorectal cancer, new work has found that compounds produced when cooking meat may increase the risk of developing kidney cancer in some people.

The research team studied how diet and genetics interact and found that individuals with specific genetic mutations are more susceptible to the harmful compounds – PhIP and MeIQx – created when cooking meat at high temperatures. They believe this may increase the risk of developing renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

“We found elevated RCC risk associated with both meat intake and meat-cooking mutagens, suggesting independent effect of meat-cooking mutagens on RCC risk,” said research leader Dr Xifeng Wu based at the University Of Texas MD.

In study, published in the journal Cancer, the team investigated the dietary intake of four meat-cooking mutagens in 659 patients newly diagnosed with RCC – the most common form of kidney cancer in adults – and 699 healthy individuals.

They discovered that cancer patients consumed more carcinogenic chemicals that are produced when meat is cooked at high temperatures or over an open flame. The scientists suggest that individuals with mutations in the ITPR2 gene are more vulnerable to the effects of PhIP. They also found that kidney cancer patients consumed more red and white meat compared to cancer-free individuals.

Dr Wu said: “Our study provides additional evidence for the role of red meat, white meat, and PhIP in RCC etiology and is the first study of dietary intake of mutagenic compounds and RCC risk to suggest an association with MeIQx, one of the most abundant heterocyclic amines commonly created in grilling, barbecuing, and pan-frying meats at high temperatures.

“Also, our study is the first to evaluate the impact of RCC susceptibility variants, identified via genome-wide association studies, on the association between intake of mutagenic compounds and RCC risk.”

However, the researchers do not suggest that individuals should remove meats completely from their diets, but rather consume it in moderation, as part of a well-balanced diet, complete with fruits and vegetables. When grilling or pan-frying meat, try to avoid charring it as much as possible, suggest the researchers.

“While further research is necessary to inform exact dietary recommendations, the results of this study suggest that limiting the amount of meat that you consume and limiting the amount of time it is cooked at high temperatures or over an open flame may play an important role in reducing kidney cancer risk. Alternative cooking methods, such as baking or broiling, should be considered in addition to maintaining a healthy body weight, eating a healthy balanced diet high in fruits and vegetables, and engaging in regular physical activity in order reduce our overall cancer risk,“ said Dr Wu.

Next, the team will seek to clarify the mechanisms linking mutagen intake and genetic susceptibility.

The paper can be accessed here.