Hot Drinks Linked to Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Risk

In two UK cohorts including 977,282 adults, drinking beverages at a “very hot” temperature was associated with more than a threefold higher risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), while drinking 6 or more hot beverages per day was associated with a 71% higher SCC risk. Over 11–14 years of follow-up, 2,348 new esophageal cancers were diagnosed, including 1,045 SCCs and 1,303 adenocarcinomas (ACs). Compared with people who preferred warm drinks, those who preferred very hot drinks had a 3.17-fold higher risk of SCC, but no significant increase in AC risk (RR 0.92). After accounting for drink temperature, consuming 6 or more hot drinks daily was associated with a 71% higher risk of SCC (RR 1.71), with only a modest association with AC. The researchers estimated that about 14% of esophageal SCC cases could potentially be prevented if people who currently drink beverages at “very hot” temperatures instead consumed them at a moderately hot temperature. The findings suggest that both reducing the temperature of hot drinks and limiting their frequency may be practical strategies for preventing esophageal SCC. Source: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/