Alcohol, processed meat linked to stomach cancer

Drinking alcohol, eating processed meat and being overweight increase the risk of developing stomach cancers, according to a major new scientific report released by the American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research Fund.

The Continuous Update Project (CUP) report was led by the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) and the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF).

Scientists systematically gathered and analyzed data relating to stomach cancer, after which a panel of leading international experts evaluated the results independently.

Worldwide, there were 952,000 cases of stomach cancer in 2012, or 7% of all new cancer cases.

Stomach cancer is the third most common cause of cancer death. It affects men twice as much as women, and it is more common among older people, with the average age of diagnosis in the US being 72 years.

In Europe and the US, the survival rate is 25-28%, rising to 63% if it is diagnosed early. But symptoms may not appear until the later stages, and some 70% of cases worldwide are diagnosed late, leading to a lower survival rate. Eastern Asia and China are particularly affected.

Avoid processed or salted meat and maintain a healthy weight

The authors found strong evidence that certain products increase the risk of stomach cancer, and specifically:

• Drinking three or more alcoholic drinks per day, or more than 1.5 ounces of pure alcohol

• Eating foods preserved using salt

• Consuming meat processed by smoking, curing, salting, or by adding preservatives, such as ham, bacon, pastrami and salami, hot dogs and some sausages. Findings suggest that if a person eats two strips of bacon each day, every day, or about 1.8 ounces of processed meat, the risk goes up by 18%.

Strong evidence also suggests that people whose body mass index (BMI) classifies them as overweight or obese are at greater risk of cardia stomach cancer. The risk appears to increase by 23% for every five BMI units. Excess body fat is now associated with 11 types of cancer.

There are signs that consuming grilled or barbecued meat and fish contribute to the risk, whereas consuming fruit, and especially citrus fruit, may help prevent stomach cancer.

The researchers call on people to maintain a healthy weight, keep physically active, eat a healthy diet and limit or avoid alcohol consumption.

Source: Online