Very Hot Tea And Coffee Linked To Higher Oesophageal Cancer Risk, UK Study Finds

Very Hot Tea and Coffee Linked to Higher Oesophageal Cancer Risk, UK Study Finds Regularly drinking tea and coffee at very high temperatures may increase the risk of developing oesophageal cancer, according to research involving nearly half a million adults in the United Kingdom. The study, published in the British Journal of Cancer, found an association between consuming hot or very hot beverages and a higher incidence of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma ESCC one of the two main types of oesophageal cancer. Researchers analysed data from almost 500,000 participants in the UK Biobank and examined their reported preferences for the temperature of their tea and coffee, as well as how much they consumed. The findings suggested that people who preferred their beverages hot or very hot had a greater risk of developing ESCC compared with those who preferred their drinks warm or did not consume hot beverages. The researchers also found that the association became stronger as consumption of very hot beverages increased. However, the study did not find a consistent link between beverage temperature and oesophageal adenocarcinoma, another major form of the disease. Experts say the concern is not necessarily about tea or coffee themselves, but about the temperature at which they are consumed. Repeated exposure to very hot liquids may cause thermal injury and irritation to the lining of the oesophagus, potentially contributing to cellular damage over time. Previous research has similarly linked extremely hot drinks with oesophageal cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified drinking very hot beverages, particularly those consumed above about 65°C, as probably carcinogenic to humans. However, researchers stressed that the findings should not be interpreted as meaning that drinking tea or coffee automatically causes cancer. Cancer Research UK notes that coffee itself is not considered a carcinogen and that the evidence concerns the temperature of beverages rather than coffee or tea as substances. It also points out that very high temperatures may be considerably hotter than the drinks commonly consumed by many people in the UK. The study also has limitations. Participants reported their preferred beverage temperatures rather than having the actual temperature of every drink measured, meaning individual drinking habits may have changed during the years of follow-up. Oesophageal cancer remains relatively uncommon compared with several other cancers, but its symptoms can include persistent difficulty swallowing, unexplained weight loss, continuing heartburn or indigestion, and pain when swallowing. These symptoms can have many causes, but persistent symptoms should be discussed with a doctor. The researchers said their findings add to growing evidence that beverage temperature may be an important factor in oesophageal cancer risk, particularly for squamous cell carcinoma. For tea and coffee drinkers, the findings suggest a simple precaution: allowing a freshly prepared drink to cool before drinking it may reduce repeated exposure of the oesophagus to very high temperatures.