Are the nitrites particularly risky versus the alternatives? I recall the world health organization warning about basically all forms of red meat and cured meat

Are the nitrites particularly risky versus the alternatives? I recall the world health organization warning about basically all forms of red meat and cured meat: http://www.who.int/features/qa/cancer-red-meat/en/ http://www.who.int/features/qa/cancer-red-meat/en/