Western Diet Contributing to Kidney Cancer

In the United States of America, barbecuing food is almost a religious practice; from tailgating to summer holidays, barbecuing is a popular method for cooking meats. Recent studies show that this method of cooking meats may be leading to renal cell carcinoma (RCC), the most common form of kidney cancer. Cooking meats over an open flame creates carcinogens, including 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenyl-imidazo(4,5-b) pyridine (PhIP) and amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo(4,5-f) quinoxaline (MeIQx). To determine whether the mechanism for developing RCC is viable, the researchers polled and collected genetic information from patients with RCC and people without this cancer. The results showed that people who had RCC consumed more red meat, PhIP, and MeIQx than the subjects without RCC. Due to these results, the correlation between RCC and consuming meats cooked over an open flame is viable. The researchers also investigated connections between human genetics and susceptibility to RCC. Their research showed that people with variations in the gene ITPR2 were more susceptible to the effects of consuming PhIP. Further experimentation needs to be carried out to clarify the mechanism for developing RCC.

Eating red meat has already been connected to health risks in the past, from heart disease to diabetes. Maybe this study is just more evidence that red meat should be avoided, and protein consumption should come from poultry, fish, beans, and other sources. I believe that as long as red meat is eaten in moderation, there will be less risk for developing RCC and other diseases. I also believe that this study shows the importance in the reduction of the cost of genome sequencing. If people can get their genome sequenced, they can find out if they have the ITPR2 mutant gene which increases their health risks due to PhIP consumption. If people know their own genome, then they could modify their diet to reduce risks due to their genetic composition.