Dr. Cross’ research interests have been in meat and meat-mutagens as risk factors for cancers of the colorectum, prostate and pancreas.

Most cancer studies of the digestive tract have been done on the large intestine as that is where most of the cancers occur.  Relatively few cancers occur in the small intestine, but the incidence is increasing.

While consumption of red meat or processed meat has been linked to colon cancer, there was no significant statistical link between red meat and cancer of the small intestine.

However, those with a high saturated fat intake had over three times the risk of developing carcinoid tumors than those with a low saturated fat intake.

The results were found from an 8 year study which asked about meat and fat consumption in a sample of half a million men and women.