Seeing a particular kind of food tied to the increased risk any form of cancer is always a cause for concern, but two similar foods tied to two separate forms of cancer should make one sit up and take notice. At least, that is what happened in my case when I read that red meat could increase the risk of kidney cancer while charred meat(think: barbeque!) increases pancreatic cancer risk.
In the Kidney Cancer study, researchers from the University Of Florida noted that certain foods like white bread and white potatoes (both high-glycemic) caused an increased risk of kidney cancer while red meat showed an evehigher correlation:
[...] both men and women who ate red meat five or more times a week were more than four times as likely to develop the disease compared to people who consumed red meat less than once a week. [MSNBC Health]
The Pancreatic Cancer study comes from the University of Minnesota and deals specifically with meats that are heavily griled, barbecued or fried. The problem with cooking meat this way (as opposewd to simple baking or stewing) is that carcinogens are released in greater quantities this way and the correlation is again evident:
Over the course of nine years, researchers identified 208 cases of pancreatic cancer. Preferences for high temperature cooked meat were generally linked with an increased risk; subjects who preferred very well done steak were almost 60 percent as likely to get pancreatic cancer as compared to those who ate steak less well done or did not eat steak. When overall consumption and doneness preferences were used to estimate the meat-derived carcinogen intake for subjects, those with highest intake had 70 percent higher risk than those with the lowest intake. [Science Daily]
All forms of meat should in general be considered safe in moderate quantities, but do choose the naturally raised, grass-fed variety whenever possible. The real problems with meat begin when it is of the grain-fed, factory-processed variety, consumed in large quantities or burned beyond recognition!