In an analysis of data from more than a dozen studies, researchers have found a link between coffee and tea consumption and lower risks of head and neck cancers, providing new insights into potential cancer prevention strategies.
In a significant breakthrough, researchers at the University of Utah’s Huntsman Cancer Institute have discovered that coffee and tea consumption may be associated with lower risks of head and neck cancers. Published in the peer-reviewed journal CANCER, the study analyzed data from 14 studies under the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology (INHANCE) consortium.
Head and neck cancers are the seventh most common forms of cancer globally, with rising incidence rates in low- and middle-income countries. Researchers have long speculated about the protective effects of coffee and tea, but results have been inconsistent.
The new analysis pooled data from 9,548 patients with head and neck cancer and 15,783 controls without cancer.
“While there has been prior research on coffee and tea consumption and reduced risk of cancer, this study highlighted their varying effects with different sub-sites of head and neck cancer, including the observation that even decaffeinated coffee had some positive impact,” senior author Yuan-Chin Amy Lee, an adjunct associate professor for the Division of Public Health in the University of Utah’s Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, said in a news release.
Key findings from the study include:
- Individuals who consumed more than four cups of caffeinated coffee daily had 17% lower odds of having head and neck cancer overall.
- Drinking the same amount of coffee was associated with 30% lower odds of oral cavity cancer and 22% lower odds of throat cancer.
- Three to four cups of caffeinated coffee correlated with a 41% reduced risk of hypopharyngeal cancer.
- Even decaffeinated coffee showed a positive impact, reducing the odds of oral cavity cancer by 25%.
- Tea consumption was linked to a 29% reduction in hypopharyngeal cancer risk. However, drinking more than one cup of tea daily increased the odds of laryngeal cancer by 38%.
Such intricate findings underscore the complex relationship between beverage consumption and cancer risk.
“Coffee and tea habits are fairly complex, and these findings support the need for more data and further studies around the impact that coffee and tea can have on reducing cancer risk,” Lee added.
The research adds valuable information to the ongoing conversation about dietary factors and cancer prevention. With head and neck cancers accounting for a significant portion of cancer cases worldwide, understanding potential preventative measures could have far-reaching effects, particularly in regions where these cancers are prevalent.
Funded primarily by the National Cancer Institute, the study emphasizes the importance of continued research into how everyday habits, like coffee and tea consumption, can influence health outcomes.