Very Hot Tea and Coffee Linked to Higher Risk of Oesophageal Cancer in UK Study
A new Oxford University investigation of almost 980,000 British adults followed for over a decade shows a strong association between drinking beverages hotter than about 70 °C and oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma, with a three‑fold higher risk for those who prefer very hot drinks. Participants who consumed six or more hot drinks daily faced a 71 % higher risk compared with non‑drinkers, independent of temperature. During the follow‑up, 2,348 participants developed oesophageal cancer, including 1,045 squamous cell cases.
The study was financed by Cancer Research UK and combined data from the UK Biobank and the Million Women Study. Researchers note that the International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies drinks above 65 °C as probably carcinogenic.
How this was covered
- Right-leaning outlets covered this 4h later
- Right-leaning coverage is the most divided on this story
Why it matters
Understanding how everyday beverage temperatures may affect cancer risk can help people make safer drinking choices.
How this story developed
- Sep 8 Study links very hot tea and coffee to higher oesophageal cancer risk in the UK
- Sep 11 The analysis merged the UK Biobank and Million Women Study datasets.
