Killer rashers: new research shows that two rashers a day can kill you

Fans of a daily breakfast roll look away now. New research has revealed that eating two rashers a day can increase your risk of pancreatic cancer by a massive 19 per cent. If you like your roll with three or four rashers, the risk goes up even higher.

The Irish Daily Mirror reports today that meat can actually be fatal. A diet packed with processed meat raises your chances of developing the deadly disease.

“Pancreatic cancer has poor survival rates. So as well as diagnosing it early, it’s important to understand what can increase the risk of this disease,” said Professor Larson, the leader of the new study.

The research, carried out by the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, revealed that for every 50g of processed meat eaten every day – just one sausage or two rashers – there was a 19 per cent rise in the risk of developing pancreatic cancer. For people eating double this amount, or 100g, the risk jumps to 38 per cent.

Pancreatic cancer is often not diagnosed until it is at an advanced stage and it kills 80 per cent of sufferers in under a year. In Ireland, 371 people are diagnosed with it every year – it was this form of cancer that led to the death of Brian Lenihan, the former Minister for Finance.

Dr Rachel Thompson from the World Cancer Research Fund said: “There is strong evidence that being overweight or obese increases the risk of pancreatic cancer, and this study may be an early indication of another factor behind the disease.”

You might want to rethink that extra sausage for your next breakfast roll…