British Journal of Cancer , (12 January 2012)
doi:10.1038/bjc.2011.585
Red and processed meat consumption and risk of pancreatic cancer: meta-analysis of prospective studies
S C Larsson and A Wolk
AbstractBackground:
Whether red and processed meat consumption is a risk factor for pancreatic cancer remains unclear. We conducted a meta-analysis to summarise the evidence from prospective studies of red and processed meat consumption and pancreatic cancer risk.
Methods:
Relevant studies were identified by searching PubMed and EMBASE databases through November 2011. Study-specific results were pooled using a random-effects model.
Results:
Eleven prospective studies, with 6643 pancreatic cancer cases, were included in the meta-analysis. An increase in red meat consumption of 120 g per day was associated with an overall relative risk (RR) of 1.13 (95% confidence interval (CI)=0.93–1.39; Pheterogeneity<0.001). Red meat consumption was positively associated with pancreatic cancer risk in men (RR=1.29; 95% CI=1.08–1.53; Pheterogeneity=0.28; five studies), but not in women (RR=0.93; 95% CI=0.74–1.16; Pheterogeneity=0.21; six studies). The RR of pancreatic cancer for a 50 g per day increase in processed meat consumption was 1.19 (95% CI=1.04–1.36; Pheterogeneity=0.46).
Conclusion:
Findings from this meta-analysis indicate that processed meat consumption is positively associated with pancreatic cancer risk. Red meat consumption was associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer in men. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings\
Susanna Larsson
PhD, Associate Professor
The Institute of Environmental Medicine (IMM)
Work: +46 8 524 86059
Fax: +46 8 30 45 71 E-mail:susanna.larsson@ki.se Address:Address: Box 210, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
Visiting address: Nobels väg 13, Karolinska Institutet
Diet and lifestyle in relation to risk of chronic disease
My research mainly focuses on examining the association between diet and lifestyle factors and the risk of developing cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Research findings on diet and colorectal cancer include positive associations with intakes of red meat and heme iron and decreased risk associated with high intakes of dietary folate, vitamin B6, magnesium, calcium, conjugated linoleic acid, dairy foods, and whole grains. Furthermore, we have observed a reduction in colorectal cancer risk associated with physical activity and long-term aspirin use.
With regard to pancreatic cancer we have observed increased risks with cigarette smoking, obesity, and diabetes as well as with high consumption of red meat, sugar, and soft drinks. We have found a reduced risk of pancreatic cancer associated with high intakes of dietary folate and methionine, both of which are important dietary methyl group donors involved in DNA synthesis and DNA methylation.
For gastric cancer, we have observed inverse associations with intakes of fruits and vegetables, carotenoids, retinol, and vitamin A and an increased risk associated with high consumption of processed meat.
Findings for breast cancer show an increased risk associated with type 2 diabetes and fried meat consumption and an inverse association with intakes of dietary alpha-carotene and beta-carotene among smokers.
With regard to stroke, we have observed inverse associations with consumption of fish, chocolate and coffee and positive associations with processed meat consumption. Moreover, we have found a lower risk of stroke associated with high intakes of potassium and magnesium.
Other selected findings include inverse associations between coffee consumption and risk of liver cancer and between magnesium intake and risk of type 2 diabetes.
Most research findings are based on data from the Swedish Mammography Cohort and the Cohort of Swedish Men.
Education
2006 PhD in Epidemiology, Karolinska Institutet.
2005 Lic Med in Epidemiology, Karolinska Institutet.
2002 MSc in Nutrition, Stockholm University/Karolinska Institutet.
Teaching Experience
General Epidemiology: graduate students in the programs of Nutrition, Toxicology, Biomedicine, and Public Health at Karolinska Institutet.
Nutritional Epidemiology: graduate students in the Human Nutrition Programme at Karolinska Institutet/Stockholm University.
Diet, lifestyle and cancer: graduate students in the Toxicology Programme at Karolinska Institutet.
Ten selected publications
Larsson SC, Virtamo J, Wolk A.
Chocolate consumption and risk of stroke in women.
J Am Coll Cardiol 2011;58:1828-9.
Link to the abstract in PubMed
Larsson SC, Orsini N, Wolk A.
Vitamin B6 and risk of colorectal cancer: a meta-analysis of prospective studies.
JAMA 2010;303:1077-83.
Link to the abstract in PubMed
Larsson SC, Wolk A.
Excess body fatness: an important cause of most cancers.
LANCET 2008;371:536-7.
Link to the abstract in PubMed
Larsson SC, Giovannucci E, Wolk A.
Folate and risk of breast cancer: a meta-analysis.
J Natl Cancer Inst 2007;99:64-76.
Link to the abstract in PubMed
Larsson SC, Giovannucci E, Wolk A.
Folate intake, MTHFR polymorphisms, and risk of esophageal, gastric, and pancreatic cancer: a meta-analysis.
Gastroenterology 2006;131:1271-83.
Link to the abstract in PubMed
Larsson SC, Orsini N, Wolk A.
Processed meat consumption and stomach cancer risk: a meta-analysis.
J Natl Cancer Inst 2006;98:1078-87.
Link to the abstract in PubMed
Larsson SC, Håkansson N, Giovannucci E, Wolk A.
Folate intake and pancreatic cancer incidence: a prospective study of Swedish women and men.
J Natl Cancer Inst 2006;98:407-13.
Link to the abstract in PubMed
Larsson SC, Orsini N, Wolk A.
Diabetes mellitus and risk of colorectal cancer: a meta-analysis.
J Natl Cancer Inst 2005;97:1679-87.
Link to the abstract in PubMed
Larsson SC, Bergkvist L, Wolk A.
Magnesium intake in relation to risk of colorectal cancer in women.
JAMA 2005; 293:86-9.
Link to the abstract in PubMed
Larsson SC, Giovannucci E, Wolk A.
Dietary folate intake and incidence of ovarian cancer: the Swedish Mammography Cohort.
J Natl Cancer Inst 2004;96:396-402.
Link to the abstract in PubMed
