This delicate hypothesis is supported by the results of a study just published in Molecular Oncology, conducted by the German Cancer Research Centre
Eating meat and milk of bovine origin can increase the risk of getting sick colorectal cancer. This delicate hypothesis is supported by the results of a study just published on Molecular Oncology, conducted by the German Cancer Research Centre. The team of researchers has identified a class of infectious agents present in beef and cow’s milk, called Bovine Meat and Milk Factors (BMMFs), which are thought to be linked to the development of this type of cancer. Notably, the study found that BMMF is present in the mucosa adjacent to colon tumors, but not in the tumors themselves, suggesting that BMMF infection may be involved in the early stages of tumor development.
Research has found that BMMF is present in this area and coincides with the presence of macrophages, which are immune system cells involved in fighting cancer. The presence of BMMF and macrophages in tumor-free mucosa could indicate chronic inflammation in the area, which has been associated with an increased risk of developing cancer. Furthermore, the researchers found that the presence of BMMF and macrophages in tumor-free mucosa is associated with decreased patient survival. Colorectal cancer is a type of cancer that affects the tissues of the intestine, in the areas of the colon and rectum that absorb nutrients from food. Colon and rectal cancer account for 10% of all cancers diagnosed worldwide it is the leading cause of cancer death in non-smokers.
A number of lifestyle and environmental factors such as dietary habits, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, lack of physical activity and obesity are known to increase the risk of developing this type of cancer. “Notably, red meat consumption has been associated with colorectal cancer risk in many epidemiological studies, while there is no clear evidence for milk,” he says. Charles La Vecchia, epidemiologist of the University of Milan. This association has typically been associated with the nutritional components of red meat. This article instead takes up the hypothesis of infectious components associated with bovine zoonoses. If this were an important mechanism, pork and goat red meat would not be associated with high risk. However, this remains a hypothesis, on an epidemiological level it is difficult to distinguish the possible risk of beef and pork”. It is not clear how the presence of BMMF in tumor-free mucosa might interfere with the survival of colorectal cancer patients. However, this discovery could pave the way for the search for new therapeutic targets for the treatment of this disease, particularly with regard to chronic inflammation in the intestinal mucosa. With further studies, we aim to establish whether identification of BMMF-positive inflamed tissue can be used as an early risk marker for colorectal cancer and whether it can offer new options for preventive and therapeutic interventions,” commented Timo Bund, first author of the study and researcher at the German Cancer Research Center.