Warning issued that how you drink tea and coffee could triple your risk of cancer

Drinking “very hot” drinks such as tea and coffee triples the risk of developing esophageal cancer, according to the world’s largest study of the link between the two. The study was carried out by researchers from Oxford Population Health at the University of Oxford, who looked at data from almost 980,000 UK adults. Compared to people who reported drinking drinks “warm,” the researchers found that those who preferred drinks “hot” had about 1.7 times the risk of developing cancer.

That figure rose to about three times the risk for people who drank the drinks “very hot.” The researchers also found that the amount of hot drinks consumed may make a difference. People who drink six or more hot drinks a day have a 71% higher risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma than those who drink fewer than six drinks. However, the results did not show the same link between hot drinks and esophageal adenocarcinoma, another serious form of esophageal cancer.

Experts warn that very hot liquid can damage the cells lining the esophagus, also known as the body’s food tube.

Adding cold milk or simply allowing drinks to cool before drinking may negate the risk.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organization, said in 2016 that very hot drinks (temperatures above 65°C) are “probably carcinogenic to humans” and “a likely cause of oesophageal cancer.”

The study states that the temperature at which coffee and tea are drunk among Western populations is estimated to be around 60°C.

Fiona Osgun, head of health information at Cancer Research UK, said: “Although the risk of being diagnosed with this cancer in the UK remains relatively low, this study adds to the evidence that drinking very hot drinks may increase the risk of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

“However, there is a simple step people can take: let the cup of tea cool slightly before taking a sip.

“And the most important ways to reduce your risk of this type of cancer are to stop smoking and reduce your alcohol consumption.”

Dr Keren Papier, lead researcher and senior nutritional epidemiologist at Oxford Population Health, said: “International research has long shown that drinking drinks such as yerba mate at very high temperatures, as is typical in South America, is associated with an increased risk of some oesophageal cancers.

“What has been less clear is whether this also applies to the temperatures at which hot drinks are typically consumed by Western populations.

“This is the largest study to date on this issue in the UK population, where many people drink tea and coffee every day.

“This adds to existing evidence that drinking very hot drinks may increase the risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

“More research is now needed to determine the exact beverage temperature associated with this increased risk.”

Esophageal cancer is cancer that occurs anywhere in the esophagus, sometimes called the esophagus or food tube. The esophagus connects the mouth to the stomach. How serious esophageal cancer is depends on where it is in the esophagus, how big it is, whether it has spread, and your overall health.

The two main types of esophageal cancer are adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, which develop in different cell types and locations in the food tube. Every year around 9,500 people are diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in the UK. It is the 14th most common type of cancer in the UK, according to Cancer Research UK.

Esophageal SCC is relatively rare in the UK, with the lifetime risk of diagnosis in people being around 1%.

There are many possible symptoms of esophageal cancer, but they can be difficult to detect.

They can affect your digestion, for example:

• problems swallowing (dysphagia)
• feel or be sick
• heartburn or acid reflux
• symptoms of an upset stomach, such as excessive burping

Other symptoms include:

• cough that won’t go away
• hoarse voice
• loss of appetite or weight loss without trying
• feeling tired or lacking energy
• pain in the throat or middle of the chest, especially when swallowing
• black poop or coughing up blood (although this is rare)