New research has found that cooking red meats at high temperatures, especially pan-fried red meats, may increase the risk of advanced prostate cancer by as much as 40%.
While previous studies have emphasised an association between diets high in red meat and risk of prostate cancer, evidence has been limited.
The study analysed 2,000 men and was led by Mariana Stern, associate professor of preventive medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of USC.
Study participants completed a comprehensive questionnaire that evaluated amount and type of meat intake, including poultry and processed red meat.
Information regarding cooking practices (e.g., pan-frying, and grilling) was obtained using color photographs that displayed the level of doneness.
More than half of the men included in the study were diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer.
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"We found that men who ate more than 1.5 servings of pan-fried red meat per week increased their risk of advanced prostate cancer by 30%," Stern said, in a statement.
"In addition, men who ate more than 2.5 servings of red meat cooked at high temperatures were 40% more likely to have advanced prostate cancer."
Attention to cooking methods of red meat, however, shows the risk of prostate cancer may be a result of potent chemical carcinogens formed when meats are cooked at high temperatures.
Researchers also found that men with diets high in baked poultry had a lower risk of advanced prostate cancer, while consumption of pan-fried poultry was associated with increased risk. Stern noted that pan-frying, regardless of meat type, consistently led to an increased risk of prostate cancer.
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The researchers do not know why pan-frying poses a higher risk for prostate cancer, but they suspect it is due to the formation of the DNA-damaging carcinogens—heterocyclic amines (HCAs)—during the cooking of red meat and poultry. HCAs are formed when sugars and amino acids are cooked at higher temperatures for longer periods of time, and there is strong experimental evidence that they contribute to certain cancers, including prostate cancer.
"The observations from this study alone are not enough to make any health recommendations, but given the few modifiable risk factors known for prostate cancer, the understanding of dietary factors and cooking methods are of high public health relevance," said Stern, in a statement.