Oesophageal cancer: A major UK study of nearly one million people has found that drinking tea, coffee, and other hot beverages at very hot temperatures may significantly increase the risk of oesophageal cancer. The researchers found the strongest link with one specific type of the disease, suggesting that simply allowing drinks to cool before drinking could help reduce the risk.
The heat may be the problem
It may not be the tea or coffee itself, but how hot you drink it. Researchers from the University of Oxford found that people who preferred their drinks very hot had around three times the risk of developing oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) compared with those who drank them warm. The findings add to growing evidence that repeated exposure to extreme heat can harm the lining of the food pipe.
Nearly a million people were studied
The study analyzed hot-drink habits of almost 980,000 people in the UK, making it the largest study of its kind so far. Participants were followed for around 14 years and were asked whether they normally drank their beverages very hot, hot, or warm. This long follow-up allowed researchers to examine how drinking habits were linked to cancer risk over time.
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Drinking more may add to the cancer risk
Temperature wasn’t the only factor that stood out. People who drank six or more hot drinks a day had a 71% higher risk of oesophageal SCC than those who drank fewer, after researchers accounted for temperature. Interestingly, the study did not find the same clear link between hot drinks and oesophageal adenocarcinoma, another major form of oesophageal cancer.
Why could extreme heat cause damage?
Scientists believe repeatedly drinking extremely hot beverages could injure the cells lining the esophagus. Over many years, this repeated heat damage may contribute to the development of cancer. Earlier studies from several regions around the world have also linked beverages consumed at temperatures of around 70°C or above with a higher risk of oesophageal cancer.
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The simple advice: Let it cool
The good news is that the takeaway doesn’t mean giving up your morning tea or coffee. Experts suggest simply waiting until your drink is comfortable to sip rather than drinking it while it’s extremely hot. The researchers estimated that about one in seven cases of oesophageal SCC in the UK could potentially be avoided if people who drink beverages very hot switched to a lower temperature. However, because the study relied on people’s own descriptions of how hot their drinks were, it shows a strong association rather than proving that hot drinks directly cause cancer.
