Eating bacon, sausage and other processed meats can increase the risk of breast cancer in older women. A large study has found that processed meats are associated with an increased risk of breast cancer after menopause. Processed meats are defined as meat that is preserved by smoking, curing or adding preservatives and include bacon, sausage and ham. Processed meats are thought to increase the risk of cancer because the addition of certain chemicals that improve color and flavor may form carcinogenic compounds. The association between processed meats and various cancers of the digestive system is well established. What is not clear is whether there is a potential link between processed meat and breast cancer. The results of this study, which looked at 262,195 British women, showed that women who had eaten processed meat after menopause had a 9 percent higher chance of developing breast cancer than women who had not eaten processed meat. It does not follow that eating processed meat directly causes breast cancer, but limiting processed meat in your diet, rather than eating processed meat every day, may be more beneficial to your health. The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Glasgow. It was published in the peer-reviewed EuropeanJournalofCancer and was funded by the University of Glasgow Paterson Endowment Fund. In 2015, the WHO classified processed meat as a carcinogen (a Group 1 carcinogen). This study adds to the evidence that regular consumption of processed or cured meats (such as bacon and sausages) may increase the risk of cancer. Based on the evidence regarding bowel and stomach cancer, WHO has indicated that processed meats may cause cancer. This study suggests that, at least for postmenopausal women, this may also increase the chances of developing breast cancer. The study has some limitations because confounding factors can never be completely ruled out as an effect. So should women avoid bacon and sausage to reduce their risk of breast cancer? Many factors can increase a woman’s risk of breast cancer when looking at genetics, weight, age, presence of children, and alcohol consumption. Processed meats may be another factor to consider when you think about your overall risk of developing breast cancer.