A surge in the risk of oral and oropharyngeal cancer is associated with increased intake of diets rich in processed meats.

This research work was carried out to determine the relationship between red and processed meat consumption and the development of cancerous cells in the mouth and oropharynx. Researchers conducted a meticulous meta-analysis on data obtained from 13 studies that examined 505834 subjects. The relative risk of oral and oropharyngeal cancer was also evaluated in each subject.

Researchers discovered that high dietary intake of processed meat products increased the risk of developing oral and oropharyngeal cancer by 91%. On the other hand, generous intake of white meat and unprocessed red meat was found to have little or no carcinogenic effect on the mouth and oropharynx. The findings of this meta-analysis reveal that increased consumption of diets high in processed red meat products may promote the development of oral and oropharyngeal cancer.