For those relying on a warm mug of tea or coffee to tackle holiday chores, there may be an added reason to indulge. A recent study has found that regular tea and coffee drinkers exhibit a slightly lower risk of developing head and neck cancers.
According to Cancer Research UK, approximately 12,800 cases of head and neck cancer are diagnosed annually in the UK, leading to around 4,100 fatalities. While the new research stops short of proving a direct protective effect from these popular beverages, experts believe the findings offer valuable insights into a long-discussed but inconclusive area of study.
The results contribute to understanding potential dietary and lifestyle factors influencing cancer risks, although researchers caution against overinterpreting the association.
According to Medical News, head and neck cancer is the seventh most common cancer worldwide, and rates are rising in low- and middle-income countries. Many studies have assessed whether drinking coffee or tea is associated with head and neck cancer, with inconsistent results.
To provide additional insight, investigators examined data from 14 studies by different scientists associated with the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology consortium, a collaboration of research groups around the globe. Study participants completed questionnaires about their prior consumption of caffeinated coffee, decaffeinated coffee, and tea in cups per day/week/month/year.
When investigators pooled information on 9,548 patients with head and neck cancer and 15,783 controls without cancer, they found that compared with non-coffee-drinkers, individuals who drank more than 4 cups of caffeinated coffee daily had 17% lower odds of having head and neck cancer overall, 30% lower odds of having cancer of the oral cavity, and 22% lower odds of having throat cancer. Drinking 3-4 cups of caffeinated coffee was linked with a 41% lower risk of having hypopharyngeal cancer (a type of cancer at the bottom of the throat).
Drinking decaffeinated coffee was associated with 25% lower odds of oral cavity cancer. Drinking tea was linked with 29% lower odds of hypopharyngeal cancer. Also, drinking 1 cup or less of tea daily was linked with a 9% lower risk of head and neck cancer overall and a 27% lower risk of hypopharyngeal cancer, but drinking more than 1 cup was associated with 38% higher odds of laryngeal cancer.
