Avoid this meat to prevent breast cancer, study says

While there is no known cure for breast cancer, scientists believe you should avoid certain meats to lower your risk of a diagnosis, according to a new report.

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Researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and other health institutions across America and Europe recently conducted a study, published in the International Journal of Cancer journal, to explore the association between red and processed meats and breast cancer risk as prior trials have "generated inconsistent results," the authors wrote in the abstract.

Processed meats, such as bacon, sausage and ham, are the ones that have been preserved through smoking, curing or salting.

For the assessment, the analyst examined 15 studies on the topic and found that consuming processed meat was linked with a 9 percent higher risk of breast cancer. They did not find a “significant” connection between unprocessed red meats and the disease, the team said.

"This recent meta-analysis suggests that processed meat consumption may also increase breast cancer risk," lead author Maryam Farvid explained in a statement. "Therefore, cutting down processed meat seems beneficial for the prevention of breast cancer."

Previous studies have categorized processed meats as a carcinogenic to human. In 2015, the World Health Organization found hot dogs, bacon, cold cuts and other processed meats raise the risk of colon, stomach and other cancers. The analysts said red meat probably contributes to the disease, too.

Despite the latest results, the scientists noted increased processed meat intake does not directly cause breast cancer. However, they believe there are benefits to reducing your intake of the food.

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