A new study has revealed that drinking coffee and tea may significantly lower the risk of developing head and neck cancers, a group that includes cancers of the mouth, throat, and larynx.
Published in the peer-reviewed journal CANCER by the American Cancer Society, the research sheds light on the potential protective effects of these widely consumed beverages.
The pooled analysis, conducted by the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology Consortium, combined data from 14 studies involving over 9,500 patients with head and neck cancer and more than 15,700 cancer-free individuals.
Key findings revealed that individuals consuming more than four cups of caffeinated coffee daily had a 17% lower risk of developing head and neck cancers compared to non-coffee drinkers. Regular coffee drinkers experienced even greater benefits, including a 30% reduced risk of oral cavity cancer and a 22% lower risk of throat cancer.
Notably, drinking 3–4 cups of caffeinated coffee daily was associated with a 41% reduction in the risk of hypopharyngeal cancer, a rare cancer found at the bottom of the throat. Decaffeinated coffee also showed protective effects, with drinkers having a 25% reduced risk of oral cavity cancer.
Tea consumption demonstrated similarly promising results, with regular tea drinkers showing a 29% reduced risk of hypopharyngeal cancer. Drinking one cup or less of tea daily was linked to a 9% lower overall risk of head and neck cancers and a 27% reduced risk of hypopharyngeal cancer.
However, the study also highlighted complexities in the relationship between tea and cancer. Consuming more than one cup of tea daily was associated with a 38% increased risk of laryngeal cancer, emphasizing the nuanced effects of these beverages on different cancer types.
The analysis suggests that compounds beyond caffeine may contribute to the protective benefits of coffee and tea, particularly in the case of decaffeinated coffee.
Lead researcher Yuan-Chin Amy Lee, PhD, from the Huntsman Cancer Institute and the University of Utah School of Medicine, stressed the need for more research to fully understand these findings. “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 said.
While the results provide compelling evidence for the inclusion of coffee and tea in a balanced diet, researchers caution that additional studies are necessary to confirm the beverages’ role in cancer prevention.
(Inputs from ANI)
