Drinking tea or coffee at a “very hot” temperature was associated with about three times the risk of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma compared with drinking them warm, according to a study of almost 980,000 people in the UK followed for 14 years. The association remained after researchers accounted for how often participants drank hot beverages.
The study found no similar association between hot drinks and oesophageal adenocarcinoma, the other main form of oesophageal cancer. Researchers said people should wait until a drink is comfortable to consume rather than drinking it while it is still very hot.
The risk differed by cancer type
The research, led by Dr Keren Papier of the University of Oxford’s population health department, examined participants’ preferred drink temperature using categories including “very hot”, “hot” and “warm”. It found that both the reported temperature and the number of very hot drinks were associated with squamous cell carcinoma risk.
The findings did not show a meaningful association between hot-drink consumption and adenocarcinoma. The researchers said the results provide a potential prevention target for squamous cell carcinoma, including through cooler drinks and fewer very hot drinks.
Why temperature matters — and what is uncertain
The proposed explanation is that repeated heat exposure may damage cells lining the oesophagus, also known as the foodpipe. Alcohol and smoking are also major risk factors for oesophageal cancer, according to the study material.
The participants estimated how hot their drinks were rather than measuring exact temperatures. Professor Muy-Teck Teh of Queen Mary University of London said this subjective measure could complicate interpretation of causality, including whether people who prefer very hot drinks may differ in their sensitivity to heat or in underlying susceptibility. Similar associations have previously been reported in studies from Asia, Africa, South America and the Middle East, including research involving drinks at or above 70C.
What health advice accompanies the findings
Fiona Osgun, head of health information at Cancer Research UK, said there is no precise recommended cooling time. The charity’s advice is to wait until a drink is comfortable to consume rather than drinking it while it remains very hot.
The research team estimated that one in seven UK squamous cell carcinoma cases could be avoided if people who reported drinking beverages at a “very hot” temperature instead consumed them at a temperature more typical of the “hot” category. The researchers also said lowering temperatures further could potentially prevent a larger proportion, although the study did not establish an exact safe temperature.
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