Excessive consumption of red or processed meat and risk of colon cancer

Besides skin cancers, colon cancer is the most common type of cancer in developed countries. Cancer incidence in immigrants to developed countries is also very high, indicating that lifestyle or environmental factors likely play a large role. Many epidemiological studies have shown a strong association between red meat or processed meats, with increased animal fat and protein consumption being strongly linked. Meta-analysis studies have shown that colon cancer risk is increased by 20–30% in people with high red and processed meat consumption. Meat processing involves alteration by curing, fermentation, salting, and smoking. High cooking temperatures result in the production of mutagens like heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Curing results in mutagens being produced by the body, in this case nitrites (NOC). High consumption of heme iron found in red meat has also been linked to changes in the colon flora, considered a risk factor for colon cancer. In this thesis we explore the available data on this topic and provide a comprehensive analysis.