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Should we be chillin' about our grillin'?

Research going back 20 years has linked eating charred beef, chicken, lamb, pork or fish with increased risk of developing certain cancers, especially colon cancer.

And now a recent study presented at an American Association for Cancer Research meeting in April showed that those who preferred well-done steak had a 60 percent greater likelihood of developing pancreatic cancer than those who liked it less well-cooked or didn't eat steak at all.

Charring meat on the grill transforms amino acids in meat into compounds called heterocyclic amines, which have been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals. When consumed, HCAs can attack and damage DNA, causing the cancer snowball to begin rolling, says Dr. Li Li, associate director of the Ireland Cancer Center at University Hospitals Case Medical Center.

Grilling at high temperatures also creates polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which occur when fat from the cooking meat drips onto coals, generating PAH-laden smoke. The smoke, in turn, rises to envelope the meat. Several forms of PAH found in cooked meat have been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals, the American Cancer Society says.

The bad news doesn't end with grilling. HCAs form on broiled and pan-fried meat, too, the cancer society says.

Li is an advocate of prevention: Do not eat charred meat. Be judicious in meat consumption. Eat five to seven servings of vegetables and fruits a day for the best nutrition. And, of course, refrain from smoking and excessive alcohol consumption.

"Eighty percent of cancer is preventable," Li says. "You can avoid it and the exposure."

But take heart, grillmasters.

Some folks, including those at the cancer society, say there's not enough evidence yet to rule out cooking out.

"I think we need more data to make a recommendation," said Cleveland Clinic gastroenterologist Dr. Mansour Parsi. "All of these are epidemiological studies, and all of them have to be confirmed. We have to have more robust studies."

So, you don't have to throw away your Weber just yet.

"I'm going to continue to grill," Parsi said. "I love grilling."