Meat Intake and Risk of Gastric and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma in the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition ( EPIC ) Study

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Whether meat consumption increases the risk of gastric cancer (GC) and esophageal cancer or not remains unclear. Moreover, the number of prospective studies evaluating the associations by anatomical and histological types of GC is limited. We aimed to assess the associations of red, processed, and white meat with all gastric adenocarcinomas by anatomical site and histological type, and with esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), using data from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition study of 450,112 individuals (131,426 men/318,686 women). Over 14.1 years of follow-up, 876 GC and 215 EAC cases were identified. Among the GC cases, 233 were located in cardia and 329 in non-cardia regions. Histologically, 624 were classified as intestinal type and 208 as diffuse type. The associations between meat intake and risk of GC or EAC were assessed using multivariable Cox models. A 30 g/day increase in processed meat consumption was associated with a 9% (95% CI: 2-17) increase in GC risk and a 13% (95% CI: 0-27) increase in EAC risk. Additionally, a 20 g/day increase in white meat intake was associated with a 12% (95% CI: 2-24) increase in non-cardia GC risk. Processed meat was also associated with intestinal GC (11%, 95% CI: 2-20) and higher consumption with diffuse GC. Only processed meat was associated with GC among men while processed and white meat were both positively associated with GC among women. In conclusion, processed meat may increase the risk of GC and EAC, although further research is needed to clarify the effects of white meat consumption.

Source: International Journal of Cancer

DOI: 10.1002/ijc.70486

Institutions: Institut d'Investigació Biomédica de Bellvitge, Institut Català d'Oncologia, Inserm, Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Centre de recherche en Epidémiologie et Santé des Populations, University of Florence, University of Potsdam, German Center for Diabetes Research, German Institute of Human Nutrition, Aarhus University, University of Copenhagen, Federico II University Hospital, University of Naples Federico II, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale “Amedeo Avogadro”, University of Turin, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Granada, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Andalusian School of Public Health, Instituto de Salud Pública de Navarra, Navarre Institute of Health Research, Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria, University of Oxford, Centre international de recherche sur le cancer, Imperial College London, Universitat Ramon Llull

Language: English

Topic: Nutritional Studies and Diet

Subfield: Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $5,030

Funders: Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, Centres de Recerca de Catalunya, Cancer Research UK, National Institute for Health and Care Research, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Cancerfonden, Generalitat de Catalunya, Ligue Contre le Cancer, Vetenskapsrådet, Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro, Deutsche Krebshilfe, Institut Gustave-Roussy, Mutuelle Générale de l'Education Nationale, Medical Research Council, World Cancer Research Fund, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, NIHR Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, School of Public Health, Imperial College London

OpenAlex ID: W7161939256