The study was led by Dr Keren Papier (Image: Getty)
Drinking “very hot” drinks like tea and coffee triples the risk of developing oesophageal cancer, according to the world’s largest study of the link between them. The study was conducted by researchers from Oxford Population Health at the University of Oxford who examined data from nearly 980,000 UK adults. Compared to people who reported drinking their beverages “warm”, the researchers found that those who preferred their drinks “hot” had around a 1.7 times higher risk of cancer.
That figure rose to approximately three times the risk for individuals who drank their beverages “very hot.” Researchers also found that the amount of hot drinks consumed could matter. People drinking six or more hot beverages a day had a 71% higher risk of SCC than those consuming fewer than six. However, the findings did not show the same association between hot drinks and oesophageal adenocarcinoma, another major form of oesophageal cancer.
The number of hot drinks consumed is also a factor (Image: Getty)
Experts have warned that very hot liquid can damage the cells which line the oesophagus, which is also known as the body’s foodpipe.
Adding cold milk or simply allowing drinks to cool before drinking can negate the risk.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organization, said in 2016 that very hot drinks (above 65C) were “probably carcinogenic to humans” and “one probable cause of oesophageal cancer.”
The study said the temperature at which coffee and tea is drunk in Western populations is estimated to be around 60C.
Fiona Osgun, head of health information at Cancer Research UK, said: “While the risk of being diagnosed with this cancer remains relatively low in the UK, this research does add to the evidence that drinking very hot drinks could increase the risk of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
“There is however a simple step people can take – let a cuppa cool down a little before taking a sip.
“And the most important ways to reduce the risk of this cancer type are not smoking and cutting down on alcohol.”
Dr Keren Papier, lead researcher and senior nutritional epidemiologist at Oxford Population Health, said: “International research has shown for some time that drinking beverages like mate at very high temperatures, as is typical in South America, is linked to increased risk of certain oesophageal cancers.
“What was less clear, was whether this also applied to the temperatures at which hot drinks are usually consumed in Western populations.
“This is now the largest study to look at that question in a UK population, where many people drink tea and coffee daily.
“It adds to existing evidence that drinking very hot drinks could increase the risk of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
“More research is now needed to identify the exact drink temperatures linked to this increased risk.”
Oesophageal cancer is a cancer that’s found anywhere in the oesophagus, sometimes called the gullet or food pipe. The oesophagus connects your mouth to your stomach. How serious oesophageal cancer is depends on where it is in the oesophagus, how big it is, if it has spread and your general health.
The two main types of esophageal cancer are adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, which develop in different types of cells and locations within the food pipe. Around 9,500 people are diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in the UK each year. It’s the 14th most common cancer in the UK, according to Cancer Research UK.
Oesophageal SCC is relatively uncommon in the UK, with people having around a 1% lifetime risk of being diagnosed.
Symptoms of oesophageal cancer according to the NHS
There are many possible symptoms of oesophageal cancer, but they might be hard to spot.
They can affect your digestion, such as:
- having problems swallowing (dysphagia)
- feeling or being sick
- heartburn or acid reflux
- symptoms of indigestion, such as burping a lot
Other symptoms include:
- a cough that is not getting better
- a hoarse voice
- loss of appetite or losing weight without trying to
- feeling tired or having no energy
- pain in your throat or the middle of your chest, especially when swallowing
- black poo or coughing up blood (although these are uncommon)
