Dietary benzo[a]pyrene intake from meat and the risk of colorectal cancer.

INTRODUCTION One possible mechanism for the postulated link between high consumption of meat and colorectal cancer (CRC) is the content of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) in meat. METHODS We investigated this association in a population-based case-control study in Western Australia (567 cases and 713 controls). Participants' self-report of meat consumption and lifestyle was used in conjunction with the CHARRED carcinogen database to estimate their BaP intake. RESULTS Dietary exposure to BaP from meat consumption was not associated with the risk of CRC. CONCLUSIONS Our findings do not support the hypothesis that BaP exposure from meat consumption is a risk factor for CRC. IMPACT STATEMENT: This large-scale case-control study used a detailed meat questionnaire in conjunction with the CHARRED database in a large population with high meat intake but was unable to find any association between intake of BaP and colorectal cancer.