Very hot drinks linked to higher risk of esophageal cancer in UK study
A study by the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom found that consuming hot and very hot drinks may be associated with a higher risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Scientists analyzed data from nearly one million adult UK residents and monitored their health for more than 10 years, Global News Canada reports.
Observation results
Study participants reported themselves whether they usually consumed drinks warm, hot, or very hot. Compared with those who chose warm drinks, participants who preferred hot drinks had an almost twofold higher risk of developing esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. For those who drank beverages very hot, the risk was three times higher.
The study lead, Oxford Population Health senior nutritional epidemiologist Keren Papier, noted that international studies had previously linked the consumption of mate at very high temperatures, common in South America, with an increased risk of certain types of esophageal cancer. According to her, the effects of temperatures at which tea and coffee are usually consumed in Western countries had remained less clear.
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Temperature is what matters
The researchers found no association between drinking tea or coffee itself and an increased risk of this type of cancer. They link the risk specifically to the temperature of the beverage. Long-term consumption of very hot liquids, according to the study's conclusions, may damage the lining of the esophagus, which can increase the likelihood of developing cancer.
Threshold for a very hot drink
The International Agency for Research on Cancer considers drinks above 65 °C to be very hot and classifies them as probably carcinogenic to humans. The average serving temperature of tea and coffee is usually 71–85 °C, but they are mostly consumed at a lower temperature — from 50 to 70 °C.
Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma is relatively rare in the United Kingdom: the lifetime risk of receiving such a diagnosis is estimated at about 1%. The authors note that even with a slight increase in risk from very hot drinks, its overall level for an individual will likely remain low.
