People who eat more processed meat such as bacon and salami show an increased risk of stomach cancer, a new review finds.

The review concluded the risk of developing stomach cancer increased by between 15 per cent and 38 per cent when consumption of processed meat increased by 30 grams per day.

Processed meats may be salted, smoked or have nitrites added to increase shelf life.
(CBC)

Susanna Larsson of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, and her colleagues reviewed 15 studies on stomach cancer and processed meats including bacon, sausage, hot dogs, salami, ham, and smoked or cured meat.

"Findings were most consistent for bacon consumption," the team wrote in Wednesday's issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Stomach cancer accounts for nearly 10 per cent of total deaths from cancer, and about 700,000 deaths from stomach cancer occur every year worldwide, the institute noted.

The studies from 1996 to 2006 included more than 4,700 people who reported how much processed meat they ate.

Since the studies didn't use the same standards, the team reviewed the data for their own analysis.

Diet, bacteria links

"Nobody had carried out this type of analysis into processed meats and stomach cancer," Larsson said in a release.

"Our results … show very clearly that there is an association between increased consumption of processed meat products and stomach cancer."

Processed meats are often salted or smoked or had nitrites added to extend shelf-life. The additives may increase the risk, although previous studies have given contradictory results.

"We hope that further studies will clarify the interaction between the consumption of processed meats and other factors, such as other dietary factors and the effects of different bacteria on the incidence of stomach cancer," Larsson said.

The studies did not adjust for infection with  Helicobacter pylori bacteria that are also linked to stomach cancer, the researchers said.