"The possibility that genetic variants may modify an individual's risk for disease based on diet has not been thoroughly investigated but represents an important new insight into disease development," said Dr Li Hsu, one of the study authors from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, US.

Pooling information in this fashion can reveal trends that would otherwise remain hidden.

The study divided people into four groups with increasing levels of meat consumption up to around five servings per week.

Compared with the first group, each subsequent "quartile" of higher consumption of processed meat raised the risk of bowel cancer by 39% for individuals with the most hazardous mutation.

Another version of the rs4143094 gene variant increased the risk by 20% per quartile.

In contrast, vegetable, fruit and fibre intake was associated with a slightly reduced risk overall.

Writing in the online journal Public Library of Science Genetics, the researchers point out that rs4143094 is in the same chromosomal region as a gene known to be linked to several forms of cancer.

The protein encoded by this gene plays a role in the immune system, suggesting a possible link with a cancer-promoting inflammatory or immunological response.

Co-author Dr Jane Figueiredo, from the University of Southern California, said: "Diet is a modifiable risk factor for colorectal (bowel) cancer.

"Our study is the first to understand whether some individuals are at higher or lower risk based on their genomic profile. This information can help us better understand the biology and maybe in the future lead to targeted prevention strategies."

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Gene increases cancer risk posed by processed meat

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