Meat-related mutagens and pancreatic cancer: null results from a clinic-based case-control study

Pancreatic cancer is a devastating disease for which the role of dietary factors remains inconclusive. The study objective was to evaluate risk of pancreatic cancer associated with meat preparation methods and meat-related mutagen consumption using a clinic-based case-control design.

There were 384 cases and 983 controls; subjects provided demographic information and completed a 144-item food frequency questionnaire, which was used to estimate meat mutagen intake using the National Cancer Institute's CHARRED database (Bethesda, MD). Logistic regression was used to calculate ORs and 95% confidence intervals (CI), adjusted for factors including age, sex, cigarette smoking, body mass index, and diabetes mellitus.

Overall, the findings were null with respect to meat mutagen intake and pancreatic cancer.

The results do not support an association between well-done meat or meat-related mutagen intake and pancreatic cancer and contrast with generally increased risks reported in previous studies.

These data contribute to evidence about pancreatic cancer and potentially carcinogenic compounds in meat.