Products that increase the risk of intestinal cancer identified

Scientists have identified the likely cause of the surge in early colorectal cancer among young people - ultra-processed foods dramatically increase the risk of developing precancerous polyps

As reported by TUT.AZ, the results of a new study published in the prestigious journal JAMA Oncology shed light on the alarming trend of colorectal cancer growth in people under 50 years of age.

A research team from Massachusetts General Hospital conducted a large-scale analysis of data from nearly 30 thousand women who participated in the long-term Nurses' Health Study II project. All participants regularly underwent endoscopic examinations before reaching the age of 50 and reported in detail about their diet every four years.

The results were impressive: women who consumed approximately 10 servings of ultra-processed foods daily had a 45% higher risk of adenoma formation compared to those who consumed only about three servings of such products. Ultra-processed foods include ready-made meals, sweets, snacks, semi-prepared foods, and beverages with high content of sugar, salt, saturated fats, and various food additives.

"Our results confirm the importance of reducing the consumption of ultra-processed foods as a measure that can reduce the growing burden of early colorectal cancer," emphasized the study leader, gastroenterologist Andrew Chan from the Mass General Brigham Cancer Center.

According to him, the connection appears almost linear: the more such food a person eats, the higher the probability of polyp formation.

During the study, scientists identified 2787 cases of precancerous formations. Notably, the connection with ultra-processed food was observed only for "classical" adenomas - polyps that most often precede early cancer. For slow-growing varieties of polyps, such a dependency was not found.

Even taking into account other risk factors - high body mass index, type 2 diabetes, and low fiber intake - the link between ultra-processed food and adenomas remained stable. However, researchers emphasize that diet does not explain all cases of early intestinal cancer, and they continue to search for additional causes, including molecular and genetic factors.