How Ultra-Processed Foods Increase the Risk of Gastrointestinal Cancers

Abstract

Gastrointestinal cancer cases are becoming major problems globally and affect public health. Of the 1 million new cancer cases that occur in the United States each year, gastrointestinal cancers are the leading cause of death. There is still more research needing to be done to find a definite link between processed foods and the risk of cancer. Therefore, this project is providing an overview of certain studies that prove a connection between ultra-processed foods and the risk of gastrointestinal cancer. This review paper will focus on how ultra-processed foods and the chemicals involved affect the overall risk of gastrointestinal cancer, with the goal of finding how different chemicals are related or potentially cause the disease. Gastrointestinal cancer includes mouth, esophageal, stomach, bowel, and colon cancer. I will analyze several articles to draw conclusions and report on this topic. In this paper, I will find my information on the internet by using PubMed, Google Scholar, and other trusted sites to provide a comprehensive review. I will look into information about specific processed foods associated with certain types of gastrointestinal cancer. The results of my literature review indicate chemicals like Nitroso Compounds, Carrageenan-Kappa, and Acrylamide, found in ultra processed foods that are potentially carcinogenic. A high-fat diet, which frequently consists of numerous ultra-processed foods, is a known risk factor for obesity. Since obesity is also a major risk factor for gastrointestinal cancer, the rising concern of obesity rates may also play a role in the amount of gastric cancer cases.