Consumption of red meat would increase the risk of developing colorectal cancer because of a DNA modification called alkylation.
- Meat consumption could be a risk factor for colorectal cancer.
- In question, the modification of the DNA due to the consumption of meat.
According to Public health France, 43,336 new cases of colorectal cancer and 17,117 deaths related to this disease were recorded in France in 2018. It is one of the most common and deadly cancers. According to a new study published in the scientific journal CancerDiscoverysome could be caused by eating red meat.
Red meat alters consumers’ DNA
To reach this conclusion, the researchers analyzed the DNA of 900 patients with colorectal cancer, as well as their lifestyle before they suffered from this pathology. Thus, they discovered that all participants had a mutation in their DNA, called alkylation, linked to the consumption of red meat. “We have known for some time that the consumption of processed meat and red meat is a risk factor for colorectal cancer.underlines Marios Giannakis, one of the authors. With red meat, there are chemical compounds that can cause alkylation.” These chemicals are produced from iron and nitrates, which are found in red and processed meat. Cells containing this mutation do not necessarily become cancerous but the risk is higher. “Identifying these cancer-causing molecular changes in colon cells explains the impact of red meat consumption in the development of colorectal cancer, but would also provide new avenues for cancer prevention and treatment.” continues Marios Giannakis. The authors note that fish and poultry do not produce this effect.
Prevent, protect and treat this disease via DNA mutation
“These results suggest that consumption of red meat can cause alkylating damage that leads to carcinogenic mutations (…) thus promoting the development of colorectal cancer, develops Marios Giannakis. Our data shows that red meat consumption is a risk factor for colorectal cancer, which also offers the possibility of preventing, detecting and treating this disease.“. This discovery could indeed make it possible to protect people genetically predisposed to this DNA mutation. Thus, they could reduce their risk of having colorectal cancer by limiting their consumption of red meat. A simple and preventive measure On the other hand, in the long term, these mutations could be sought at the time of screening, which would allow the diagnosis to be made at an earlier stage, before the other manifestations of the pathology.
Detect early to better manage this pathology
Colorectal cancer means the presence of a tumor in the colon or rectum. It first develops locally and can spread to the rest of the body through the bloodstream or the lymphatic system. Thus, other cancers can then appear, in particular that of the liver or the lungs. Like many pathologies, the earlier it is detected, the higher the chances of recovery. From the age of 50, it is strongly advised to have a screening test every two years.
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