Our research has identified that red and processed meats are associated with an increased risk of several cancers, while poultry and fish intake may be protective. We are currently studying carcinogenic compounds formed in meat during processing or cooking, such as:

• Heterocyclic amines
• N-nitroso compounds
• Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

NEB investigators have developed a variety of specialized questionnaires and databases to help study nutritional aspects of cancer causation such as diet and physical activity. But measuring exposures to carcinogenic compounds requires different kinds of measurements. To accommodate this need, we are performing studies on the metabolism and excretion of these compounds, analyzing their metabolites to help identify biomarkers that we can use to measure internal exposures.