Drinking hot tea or coffee more than triples risk of oesophageal cancer – Study

Drinking very hot tea or coffee more than triples the risk of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma compared with consuming warm beverages, according to a major study involving nearly one million UK adults published in the International Journal of Cancer.

According to Tribune, University of Oxford researchers analysed data from approximately 980,000 middle-aged adults over 11 years, recording 2,348 oesophageal cancer cases. Those who preferred “very hot” drinks had more than three times the cancer risk of those who preferred warm beverages, while drinking six or more hot drinks daily raised risk by 71 per cent.

Scientists believe repeated exposure to scalding liquids damages oesophageal cells, triggering chronic inflammation that may favour cancer development. Lead researcher Keren Papier advised allowing drinks to cool before consumption.