Higher Intake of Grilled/Barbecued and Smoked Meat Linked to Reduced Survival After Breast Cancer
In a study reported in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Parada et al found that higher intake of grilled/barbecued and smoked meat may be associated with poorer overall survival in breast cancer survivors. Grilled/barbecued and smoked meat, a source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon carcinogens, has been associated with an increased risk of incident breast cancer.
Study Details
The study involved a population-based cohort of 1,508 women diagnosed with first primary invasive or in situ breast cancer in 1996 and 1997 in the Long Island Breast Cancer Study Project. Women were interviewed at baseline and approximately 5 years later to assess their intake of grilled/barbecued and smoked meat. After a median follow-up of 17.6 years, 597 deaths were identified, including 237 breast cancer–related deaths.
Associated Risks
High prediagnosis intake of grilled/barbecued and smoked meat was associated with a significantly increased risk of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.23, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.03–1.46). High prediagnosis intake of smoked beef/lamb/pork was associated with a nonsignificantly increased risk of all-cause mortality (HR =1.17, 95% CI = 0.99–1.38) and breast cancer–specific mortality (HR = 1.23, 95% CI = 0.95–1.60). Risk of all-cause mortality was nonsignificantly increased for women with continued high intake of grilled/barbecued and smoked meat after diagnosis (HR =1.31, 95% CI = 0.96–1.78). Risk of breast cancer–specific mortality was significantly reduced among women with any pre- and postdiagnosis intake of smoked poultry/fish (HR = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.31–0.97).
The investigators concluded: “High intake of grilled/barbecued and smoked meat may increase mortality after breast cancer.”
The study was supported by the National Cancer Institute, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and American Institute for Cancer Research.
Humberto Parada, Jr, MPH, of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is the corresponding author of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute article.
The content in this post has not been reviewed by the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Inc. (ASCO®) and does not necessarily reflect the ideas and opinions of ASCO®.
