Drinking tea or coffee at very hot temperatures triples the risk of developing esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, according to a study published in the International Journal of Cancer. Researchers from the University of Oxford analyzed data from nearly one million UK adults, finding that individuals who prefer their beverages very hot face a significantly higher threat of this specific throat cancer subtype compared to those who drink warm beverages.
Oxford Study Links Very Hot Drinks to Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
The research pooled data from the Million Women Study and the United Kingdom Biobank, covering a total of 977,282 participants. According to lead study author Keren Papier, a nutritional epidemiologist at the University of Oxford, participants reported their preferred drinking temperatures as warm, hot, or very hot. Those who chose very hot beverages experienced roughly three times the risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) than those who preferred warm drinks. Meanwhile, participants who drank their beverages hot faced about a 1.7 times higher risk, as Papier noted to Fox News Digital.
The investigation tracked participants over average follow-up periods of 11.1 years in the UK Biobank and 14.2 years in the Million Women Study, utilizing centrally held National Health Service records to monitor cancer incidence. During this timeframe, researchers identified 1,045 participants who developed SCC and 1,303 who developed esophageal adenocarcinoma (AC). Unlike SCC, preferred drink temperature showed no material association with AC risk.
Consumption Frequency and Daily Habit Risks
Beyond the temperature of the beverage, the frequency of daily consumption also played an independent role in cancer development. According to the study findings, consuming six or more hot drinks daily was associated with a 71% higher risk of SCC compared to drinking fewer than six cups. The researchers found no statistical interaction between drink temperature and consumption frequency, meaning both factors independently elevate the risk of developing the disease.
To test alternative explanations, the Oxford team evaluated a subset of 459,739 participants from the Million Women Study to see if adding milk altered the results. The temperature-related association varied little regardless of whether the participants added milk to their tea or coffee. Furthermore, the elevated risks remained evident even among light drinkers and individuals who never smoked.
Pro Tip: Researchers suggest that letting your coffee or tea cool down slightly before drinking is an accessible, non-invasive strategy. The findings do not imply that people must stop drinking tea or coffee altogether.
Thermal Injury Mechanisms and Public Health Modeling
Experts point to repeated thermal injury as the biological mechanism behind the elevated SCC rates. Dr. Aaron Sasson, chief of surgical oncology and co-director of the gastrointestinal oncology team at Stony Brook Cancer Center in New York, explained the process to Fox News Digital. He noted that consuming very hot liquids constantly irritates and burns the lining of the esophagus, comparing it to the increased risk of squamous cell carcinoma on skin tissue after repeated burns.
Because SCC typically arises from squamous cells in the upper two-thirds of the esophagus, these tissues are particularly susceptible to hot liquids. Dr. Sasson also emphasized the distinction between cancer subtypes, noting that in the United States, roughly 85% of esophageal cancers are adenocarcinomas, making squamous carcinomas relatively low in incidence.
Did You Know? Public health modeling from the study estimates that if the association is causal, switching from very hot to hot drinks could prevent about 440 esophageal SCC cases—or roughly 14% of total cases—in the UK every year.
Study Limitations and Self-Reported Temperature Data
While the study is the largest of its kind to date, the authors acknowledged several methodological limitations. Most notably, beverage temperatures were self-reported rather than directly measured in a laboratory setting. Because individual heat tolerance varies widely, participants likely classified similar absolute temperatures into different subjective categories such as warm, hot, or very hot.
Because the investigation relied on an observational design, it cannot definitively prove a direct cause-and-effect relationship. However, analyses that excluded the first five years of follow-up produced similar findings, strengthening the reliability of the long-term data gathered from the two massive cohorts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does drinking hot coffee cause all types of esophageal cancer?
No. The Oxford study found a strong association between very hot beverages and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, but found no material association with esophageal adenocarcinoma.
How many hot drinks per day increase cancer risk?
Consuming six or more hot drinks daily was linked to a 71% higher risk of squamous cell carcinoma, independent of the preferred temperature of the beverage, according to the research.
Do people need to stop drinking tea or coffee entirely?
No. Researchers clarify that individuals do not need to quit drinking tea or coffee, but recommend simply letting beverages cool down a little bit before consuming them to reduce thermal injury.
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