Drinking very hot tea, coffee and other hot beverages could more than triple the risk of developing a common type of esophageal cancer, according to a major UK study involving nearly one million people.
The study, published in the International Journal of Cancer, found that people who preferred their drinks “hot” had almost twice the risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma compared with those who preferred warm drinks. Those who preferred beverages “very hot” faced more than three times the risk.
The esophagus, also known as the food pipe, is the muscular tube that carries food and drinks from the mouth to the stomach.
Researchers also found that the amount consumed could matter. Drinking six or more hot beverages a day was associated with a 71% higher risk compared with consuming fewer than six, after accounting for temperature.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer defines “very hot” beverages as those consumed at temperatures above 65°C and has classified drinking very hot beverages as probably carcinogenic to humans.
Ian Johnson, an emeritus fellow at the Quadram Institute who was not involved in the research, said it would be prudent for people to consume cooler drinks below 65°C.
“It sounds simple enough, but whether people who favour hot drinks can change their habits so easily is another matter,” he said.
Researchers stressed that the overall likelihood of developing esophageal cancer remains relatively low and that the findings demonstrate an association rather than proving that hot beverages directly cause cancer.
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