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Heme Iron from Meat and Risk of Colorectal Cancer: A Meta-analysis and a Review of the Mechanisms Involved
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Abstract
Red meat and processed meat intake is associated with a risk of colorectal cancer, a major cause of death in affluent countries. Epidemiological and experimental evidence supports the hypothesis that heme iron present in meat promotes colorectal cancer. This meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies of colon cancer reporting heme intake included 566,607 individuals and 4,734 cases of colon cancer. The relative risk of colon cancer was 1.18 (95% CI: 1.06-1.32) for subjects in the highest category of heme iron intake compared with those in the lowest category. Epidemiological data thus show a suggestive association between dietary heme and risk of colon cancer. The analysis of experimental studies in rats with chemically-induced colon cancer showed that dietary hemoglobin and red meat consistently promote aberrant crypt foci, a putative precancer lesion. The mechanism is not known, but heme iron has a catalytic effect on (i) the endogenous formation of carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds and (ii) the formation of cytotoxic and genotoxic aldehydes by lipoperoxidation. A review of evidence supporting these hypotheses suggests that both pathways are involved in heme iron toxicity.
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“A high red meat intake (rich in heme iron), increases endogenous formation of N-nitroso compounds in the gastrointestinal tract that are associated with increased epithelial proliferation, oxidative stress, and iron-induced hypoxia signaling (166–168).”
From Food Consumption and its Impact on Cardiovascular Disease: Importance of Solutions Focused on the Globalized Food System (2015) · cites this paper as [167]
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“Potential mechanisms linking unprocessed red meat with CVD include saturated fat, cholesterol, iron, phosphatidylcholine, and carnitine; and cooking methods (e.g., barbecuing), that increase heterocyclic amine content and N-nitroso compounds, also implicated in colorectal cancer (167).”
From Food Consumption and its Impact on Cardiovascular Disease: Importance of Solutions Focused on the Globalized Food System (2015) · cites this paper as [167]
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“For instance, red meat releases heme groups in the intestine, which enhance the formation of carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds as well as cytotoxic and genotoxic aldehydes by lipoperoxidation [20], and meat cooked at high temperatures produces heterocyclic amines and polycyclic hydrocarbons after digestion, both of whi…”
BackgroundAmerican Cancer Society guidelines on nutrition and physical activity for cancer prevention
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“, barbecuing), that increase heterocyclic amine content and N-nitroso compounds, also implicated in colorectal cancer (167).”
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Metadata
- Authors
- Bastide, N. M., Pierre, F. H. F., & Corpet, D. E.
- Affiliations
- École Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse (FR)
- Corresponding author
- Pierre, Fabrice H.F.
- Venue
- Cancer Prevention Research
- Published
- 2011-02-01
- Volume
- 4
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 177-184
- ISSN
- 1940-6207 (ISSN-L)
- 1940-6215
- OpenAlex
- W2106489922
- Cited by
- 397
- References
- 76
- Citations by year
- 2026: 22 · 2025: 24 · 2024: 18 · 2023: 23 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 29 · 2019: 28 · 2018: 29 · 2017: 23 · 2016: 45 · 2015: 31 · 2014: 25 · 2013: 31 · 2012: 19
- FWCI
- 3.97
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Cancer Prevention Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- HAL (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Funders
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Nutritional Studies and Diet
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Colorectal Cancer Screening and Detection
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Animal Science and Zoology › Meat and Animal Product Quality
- Keywords
- heme iron, red meat, processed meat, colorectal cancer, colon cancer, aberrant crypt foci, N-nitroso compounds, lipid peroxidation, aldehydes, carcinogenesis mechanisms, hemoglobin
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Heme, Humans, Meat Products, Review Literature as Topic, Colorectal Neoplasms, Iron, Dietary, Rats
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