You dutifully apply sunscreen during the summer months, but you may not be aware of another seasonal cancer risk lurking in your own backyard: the barbecue.

A weekly burger or steak hot off the grill won’t hurt you. But if eating barbecued, grilled and smoked meats, including hotdogs, is an almost daily habit, you may want to cool it, says Dr. Paul Reilly, author and naturopathic oncologist at Seattle Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center.

Meats cooked at high temperatures, like over an open flame, contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heterocyclic amines (HCAs), both known carcinogens, cancer-causing substances.

PAHs are a group of chemicals produced from the incomplete burning of organic matter, including oil, gas, wood, tobacco and meat. Grilling and barbecuing tend to char the meat and so increase the formation of PAHs, which are also found in smoked meats and other foods.

HCAs are created when the amino acids (protein building blocks) in muscle meats such as beef, pork, fowl, and fish react to high cooking temperatures. Barbecuing isn’t the only culprit. Any cooking method that uses very high temperatures, including frying and broiling, raises PAH levels.

“Charred and grilled meats increase risk for a multitude of cancers including breast, colon and pancreatic cancer,” says Reilly. “Everyone loves the taste of grilled meat, but be smart about reducing its negative health effects.”

Reilly – one of the authors of “How to Prevent and Treat Cancer with Natural Medicine,” (Riverhead Books, 2002) – has been practicing naturopathic oncology for more than 12 years and is a founding member of the Seattle Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center. Located in Renton, the Center combines oncology with complementary cancer treatments, including naturopathy, acupuncture, Chinese medicine and mind-body medicine.

“I wish we didn’t need dedicated cancer centers like ours, but sadly the American lifestyle seems to increase risk for many common cancers,” Reilly says.

Based on recent colorectal cancer findings, the American Institute for Cancer Research recommends limiting weekly consumption of red meats to no more than 18 cooked ounces (about four quarter-pound hamburgers), and trying to avoid hotdogs, sausages and other processed meats.

Reilly also recommends a proactive approach to reducing cancer risk, particularly for those with a family history of cancer.

One simple, effective change most everyone can make is to eat more dark-colored fruits and vegetables, which are rich in naturally occurring plant chemicals called phytochemicals that have been shown to protect against carcinogens.

In fact, a study looking at breast cancer and lifetime consumption of red meat in postmenopausal women found the highest risk among those who ate grilled, barbecued and smoked meats more than once a week, but scrimped on fruits and vegetables. (The same study found no increased breast cancer risk with smoked, grilled or barbecued poultry or fish.)

No one knows yet how much grilled, smoked and barbecued meat will increase a person’s cancer risk. And no federal guidelines exist for limiting consumption. But if you’d rather be safe than sorry, Reilly offers these tips to help you grill and eat more healthfully:

* Cook lean cuts of meat in smaller portions (3-4 ounces), and consider making skewers with chunks of meat or poultry mixed with chunks of tomato, onions, pepper and other vegetables.

* Use free-range, pesticide- and hormone-free meats whenever possible. These are generally lower in fats, have a better balance of desirable nutrients and contain fewer compounds associated with disease.

* Dripping fat from barbecuing can cause flare-ups that leave carcinogens on your meat. Avoid them by placing a sheet of perforated aluminum foil over the grill to catch the fat.

* Cook your meat at a lower temperature, avoid hot spots on the grill and flip it often to prevent charring. Cut off and discard any burned parts.

* Before you grill, microwave the meat for about two minutes and discard the liquid that forms. This cuts down on cooking time and the level of HCAs.

* Soak your meat in an acidic liquid (vinegar, citrus and marinades made from other fruits, like dark cherries) to reduce the formation of carcinogens.

* Hold the gravy. Gravy made from meat drippings contains high amounts of HCAs.

For more cancer fighting tips and information, call 206. FOR HOPE (367.4673) or visit the Seattle Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center Web site at www.seattlecancerwellness.com.

Pam McGaffin of Moore Ink. PR, writes articles about health, family and community issues for non-profit organizations.