Chargrilled meat linked to kidney cancer

A new study has found link between charred meats and kidney cancer risk. Photo: Getty

A new study is putting a dampener on the upcoming summer barbecue season.

Just two weeks after the World Health Organisation warned against the dangers of processed meats as carcinogenic, new research has linked increased meat consumption to a higher risk of kidney cancer. What’s more, they suspect that the cooking process may have something to do with it.

The study published in the journal Cancer examined 659 men and women who were recently diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma, the most common form of kidney cancer, and compared them to 699 health participants.

Researchers found that a participant's meat consumption and exposure to mutagens (compounds that can lead to genetic mutations) was linked to meat cooked at high temperatures over an open flame, such as char-grilled. Patients with kidney cancer ate more red and white meat compared to those in the study without cancer.

“We found elevated RCC risk associated with both meat intake and meat-cooking mutagens, suggesting independent effect of meat-cooking mutagens on RCC risk,” said study author Dr Xifeng Wu in a statement. The study is an indication that how meat is cooked was a contributing factor to the higher risk of kidney cancer.

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Researchers not only found a link between meat consumption and kidney cancer, they also found that participants with a specific gene mutation were susceptible to the risk, which suggests that genetics are also involved.

The study only established a link between meat consumption and kidney cancer, however researchers note that more research needs to be done to explore a connection to other cancers.

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But before you pack up your Weber for good, study authors do not suggest you give up meat altogether. Avoid charring or burning the meat while cooking, and always eat it in moderation. Instead of steak, opt for the occasional fish and prawns cooked on the barbeque. Delicious.

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