The risk of throat cancer almost doubles with hot drinks

Research dating back at least to 2009 showed that the consumption of hot drinks could increase the risk of esophageal cancer, but it was not known if this risk could be directly correlated to the temperature of consumption. Another study has been published. It confirms that drinking – and possibly eating – at high temperatures can increase the risk of throat cancer in your esophagus.

Published in the International Journal of Cancer, the research was conducted by the American Cancer Society and included data dating back more than 10 years to 50,045 people aged 40 to 75 living in Iran and Golestan . According to the information compiled, participants who drank 700 ml of tea (or about 24 ounces) a day were 90% more likely to develop esophageal cancer when the tea was above 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit) ).

The study included information from "objectively measured tea temperatures" above 60 degrees Celsius and below 60 degrees Celsius, data on the preferences of those who liked "hot" tea over cold or lukewarm tea, as well as the time before participants waited to drink their tea after giving more than two minutes and more than six minutes). A total of 317 new cases of ESCC (squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus, a type of esophageal cancer) were identified during the study. They were then followed up with the participants for a median duration of 10.1 years.

"Our findings strongly reinforce existing evidence for an badociation between hot beverage consumption and CCHS," the researchers said in their summary. Not discussed in the summary is precisely how cancer is caused. However, previous research has suggested that when your esophagus is repeatedly burned, damage to the DNA can lead to improper regeneration of the skin, resulting in the onset of cancer.

The American Cancer Society estimates that 17,650 new cases of esophageal cancer will be diagnosed in the United States this year. According to a study conducted by the University of Texas at Tyler in 2008, hot beverages like tea, coffee and hot chocolate are usually served at temperatures between 160 and 185 degrees Fahrenheit, while people tend to to prefer these drinks at temperatures greater than or equal to 140 degrees.