Regularly drinking very hot tea or coffee may triple the risk of developing a specific form of esophageal cancer, according to a large study published in the International Journal of Cancer.
Oxford University Study Links Temperature to Esophageal Cancer
The investigation stands as the largest of its kind to date, analyzing health data from nearly 1 million UK adults. Keren Papier, a nutritional epidemiologist at the University of Oxford and lead study author, noted that approximately half of the subjects originated from the Million Women Study, with an average follow-up of 14 years, whereas the remaining half came from the UK Biobank and were monitored for 11 years. The findings revealed that participants who reported drinking their beverages “hot” faced approximately a 1.7 times higher risk of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), while those who consumed them “very hot” experienced around a threefold increase in risk.
Frequency and Specific Cancer Subtypes
Beyond beverage temperature, the study quantified risk based on daily consumption volume. A 71% elevated likelihood of the condition was linked to the daily intake of six or more hot beverages. Researchers noted that the temperature association specifically applied to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma—a cancer beginning in the cells lining the esophagus—and did not observe the same link for esophageal adenocarcinoma, which develops in the lower part of the esophagus.
Medical Insight on Thermal Injury Mechanisms
Constant irritation of the esophageal lining by hot liquids was detailed by Dr. Aaron Sasson, chief of surgical oncology and co-director of the gastrointestinal oncology team at Stony Brook Cancer Center in New York. According to Sasson, consuming excessively hot liquids causes repeated thermal injuries comparable to repeatedly burning the skin on one’s hand.
Sasson also emphasized context regarding cancer subtypes, noting that about 85% of esophageal cancers diagnosed in the United States are adenocarcinomas, making the baseline incidence of squamous carcinomas relatively low in the country.
Public Health Implications and Prevention
Based on their statistical models, the study authors estimated that if the observed association reflects a true cause-and-effect relationship, roughly 14% of SCC cases could potentially be prevented if consumers allowed their beverages to cool from “very hot” to simply “hot” or warm. Papier emphasized that the findings do not suggest people need to stop drinking tea or coffee entirely, advising consumers to simply let their drinks cool down a little bit before consumption.
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