Drinking Hot Tea Increases Esophageal Cancer Risk 5-Fold

Tea, one of our culture’s most important drinks, was known to increase the risk of esophageal cancer in those who habitually drink it hot. This applies to all hot drinks, not just tea. However, the link between hot drinks and esophageal cancer had not been clearly established. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) therefore classified drinks above 65 degrees as Group 2A carcinogens (probably carcinogenic to humans). A new study found that habitual hot tea drinkers who also smoke and drink alcohol have a 5-fold increased esophageal cancer risk. This emerged from long-term research involving more than 450.000 people.

The esophagus extends from the end of the oral cavity to the beginning of the stomach in the abdomen. Cancer arising from the pharynx onward is called esophageal/food pipe cancer . Esophageal cancer is becoming more common, partly because of rising obesity rates, and survival is poor in less-developed regions with limited treatment access. In countries with many tea drinkers, such as ours or China, tobacco, alcohol, chemical compounds in very hot tea and adverse thermal effects complicate the tea-cancer relationship.

Researchers from China’s National Natural Science Foundation and National Basic Research and Development Program excluded people previously diagnosed with cancer or who had reduced tea, alcohol or smoking. To assess hot tea’s effect on esophageal cancer risk, they followed participants aged 30-79, numbering 456.155, for 9.2 years. They found a strong association between excessive alcohol, tobacco, hot tea and esophageal cancer.

The Most Striking Finding: People Drinking Very Hot Tea, Using Tobacco and Drinking Alcohol Regularly Had, Compared with Those Without These 3 Habits, a 5-Fold Higher Esophageal Cancer Risk.

However, very hot tea drinking without alcohol or tobacco was not directly associated with esophageal cancer. These findings suggest avoiding hot tea may benefit heavy alcohol and tobacco users.

• Alcohol consumption has clearly been shown to increase cancer risk

As noted at the start, the hypothesis that hot drinks may cause esophageal cancer is not new. In the 1930s, clinical observations suggested thermal irritation might cause esophageal cancer, but the relationship was not fully established. Multiple risk factors, including unhealthy habits, naturally increase the likelihood of cancer when combined. Rather than give up tea, which many of us cannot do without, we can drink it at a cooler temperature. This applies to all excessively hot drinks and even soups, not only tea.

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