Head and neck cancer, including cancers of the mouth and throat, is the seventh most common cancer globally.
The number of cases is growing, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
Many researchers have looked into whether coffee and tea might play a role in reducing the risk of these cancers. However, their findings have often been unclear or inconsistent.
To address this, a group of scientists analyzed data from 14 studies conducted by researchers from around the world. These studies were part of a larger research collaboration called the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology Consortium.
Participants in the studies were asked about how often they drank caffeinated coffee, decaffeinated coffee, and tea—whether it was daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly.
The analysis included information from 9,548 people who had head and neck cancer and 15,783 people who did not have cancer. When the researchers compared the groups, they noticed some interesting patterns related to coffee and tea consumption.
People who drank more than four cups of caffeinated coffee each day had a 17% lower chance of having head and neck cancer overall. Specifically, they had a 30% lower chance of cancer in the mouth and a 22% lower chance of throat cancer.
The benefits were even more noticeable for certain types of cancer. Drinking three to four cups of caffeinated coffee daily was linked to a 41% lower chance of hypopharyngeal cancer, which affects the bottom part of the throat.
Decaffeinated coffee also showed some positive effects. People who drank it had a 25% lower chance of oral cavity cancer.
Tea consumption was also linked to reduced risks but with some complexities. Drinking tea was associated with a 29% lower chance of hypopharyngeal cancer.
Drinking one cup or less of tea daily seemed to slightly reduce the risk of head and neck cancer overall by 9% and of hypopharyngeal cancer by 27%. However, drinking more than one cup of tea daily was linked to a 38% higher chance of laryngeal cancer, which affects the voice box.
These findings highlight the varied effects of coffee and tea on different types of head and neck cancer.
Dr. Yuan-Chin Amy Lee, a researcher from Huntsman Cancer Institute and the University of Utah School of Medicine, emphasized that while previous studies have shown some connection between coffee, tea, and cancer risk, this research helps clarify those links. It even suggests that decaffeinated coffee may have benefits.
Coffee and tea habits are often influenced by many factors, such as culture, personal preferences, and lifestyle. Dr. Lee noted that these results show the need for more detailed studies to better understand how coffee and tea may help reduce cancer risk.
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The research findings can be found in Cancer.
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