‘Al faham caused my cancer,’ says ‘Dracula’ actor Sudhir: Any truth in it?

Actor Sudhir Sukumaran is remembered for playing villain roles in many Malayalam movies and other languages. He received rave reviews for his role as the antagonist in Dileep-starrer 'Kochi Rajavu'. Sudhir also starred as the titular character in the Vinayan film 'Dracula'. A few years ago, while shooting for a Telugu movie, he suffered severe bleeding. Though it wasn’t the first time, he dismissed the sign as piles. A while later, when he met actor Mammootty, he commented that Sudhir seemed to have lost strength and should take care of himself. However, Sudhir thought that Mammootty was cracking a joke. In 2021, Sudhir was diagnosed with colon cancer.

Shooting after surgery
After the cancer was confirmed, Sudhir underwent emergency surgery. He kept it a secret and didn’t reveal anything to others. Thirty days after the surgery, he shot an action sequence for the Telugu movie. Sudhir recalled his stitches bleeding multiple times while filming. “I was able to survive only because of my confidence. Confidence inspired me to shoot for the movie thirty days after the surgery. I didn’t imagine that I would be diagnosed with such a critical disease. I think the encouraging words of the doctors are more effective than the medicines. I could survive only because of the confidence those words gave me. I regularly exercised and took care of my health, yet I was diagnosed with cancer," he said.

What triggered the cancer?
Recently, while attending the World Cancer Day program at the Believer’s Church Hospital in Thiruvalla. Sudhir said that the popular dish al faham is a possible reason why he got cancer. “I thought about the various reasons why I might have had this disease. I feel the reason is al faham. I used to really enjoy the burnt bits of al faham, and I never ate veggies with it either. I suspect it might have caused the disease. Now, I mostly avoid red meat. Youngsters should eat more veggies to preserve their health,” said Sudhir.

Any merit in Sudhir’s doubts?
According to the US National Cancer Institute (NCI), when muscle meat, including pork, fish, poultry and beef, is cooked on an open flame, pan-fried or grilled in high temperatures, chemicals named HCA (Heterocyclic Amines) and PAH (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons) are formed. In lab tests, it was found that they can cause changes in DNA and increase the risk of cancer. The NCI also quotes numerous epidemiologic studies where participants were quizzed to understand the role played by meat cooking methods and consumption, which found that barbecued, fried and well-done meats were associated with prostate, pancreatic and colorectal cancers.

How to reduce HCA and PAH in cooked meats?
1) Avoid exposing meat directly to open flame and hot metals
2) Avoid prolonged cooking
3) Use a microwave oven to cook and control the time to ensure the right level of cooking
4) Keep flipping meat over to reduce HCA formation
5) Remove burnt and charred portions before eating
6) Do not use gravy made from meat drippings