Higher meat intakes are positively associated with higher risks of developing pancreatic cancer in an age-dependent manner and are modified by plasma anti-oxidants: A prospective cohort study (EPIC-Norfolk) using data from food diaries

Objective: Carcinogens in meat may be involved in pancreatic carcinogenesis. Meat intake was investigated using 7-day food diaries and according to factors potentially influencing carcinogenesis: age, cooking method, and antioxidants.

Methods: Twenty-three thousand one hundred thirty-three participants in the European Prospective Investigation of Cancer-Norfolk cohort study completed 7-day food diaries and were followed up. Meat intakes were compared with controls and hazard ratios (HRs) calculated.

Results: Eighty-six participants developed pancreatic cancer. If younger than 60 years at recruitment, all quintiles of red meat (Q1 vs Q5; HR, 4.62; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.96–22.30; P = 0.06) and processed meat (Q1 vs Q5; HR, 3.73; 95% CI, 0.95–14.66; P = 0.06) were nonsignificantly positively associated, with significant trends across quintiles (HRtrend, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.01–1.77 and HRtrend, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.04–1.82, respectively). Red meat's effect was attenuated by higher, but not lower, plasma vitamin C (HR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.69–1.63 vs HR, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.09–3.14) and for processed meat (HR, 1.07; 95% CI, 0.71–1.63 vs HR, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.10–2.96). A nonstatistically significant risk was observed for high-temperature cooking methods in younger people (HR, 4.68; 95% CI, 0.63–34.70; P = 0.13).

Conclusions: Red and processed meats may be involved in pancreatic carcinogenesis.