Drinking ‘very hot’ drinks may increase risk of esophageal cancer: study

A new study from the University of Oxford suggests that consuming "hot" or "very hot" drinks may elevate the risk of developing esophageal cancer. The research, funded by Cancer Research UK, found that individuals who drank beverages at high temperatures had a significantly greater likelihood of developing esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) compared to those who consumed their drinks at lower temperatures.

Dr. Keren Papier, the lead researcher, explained that while international studies have previously linked hot beverages like mate to a higher risk of certain esophageal cancers in South American populations, it was unclear if this applied to Western nations where hot drinks are more common. The Oxford team analyzed data from nearly one million British adults, tracking their health over ten years to identify any potential links.

The study found that those who typically drank "hot" beverages had nearly double the risk of developing esophageal SCC compared to those who preferred "warm" drinks, while those who drank "very hot" beverages faced a threefold increased risk. The findings indicate that scalding hot drinks could potentially damage the lining of the esophagus, thereby increasing the risk of cancer.

Despite the rarity of esophageal SCC in the U.K., with a one percent lifetime risk, the slight increase in risk associated with very hot drink consumption could still result in a low overall risk. In Canada, where about 33.5 cases of the same type of cancer occur per million individuals annually, survival rates for esophageal SCC are less than 20 percent.

The study did not find a direct correlation between tea or coffee consumption and an increased risk of esophageal SCC; rather, it was the temperature of the hot drink that appeared to be the key factor. The International Agency for Research on Cancer considers beverages "very hot" if they exceed 65 degrees Celsius and has classified them as "probably carcinogenic" to humans.

While average serving temperatures of tea and coffee in the U.K. typically range from 71–85 degrees Celsius, they are usually consumed at lower temperatures, usually between 50–70 degrees Celsius. Currently, there are no specific laws or regulations in Canada requiring hot drinks to be served within a certain temperature range, though businesses could face legal liability if they serve drinks at unreasonably high temperatures.