Consuming Coffee or Tea May Prevent Certain Types of Cancer
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New research suggests that regular consumption of coffee and tea could have a protective effect against certain head and neck cancers. The study, conducted by researchers from around the world, pooled data from nearly 10,000 people with head and neck cancer and over 15,000 people without cancer as part of the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology (INHANCE) consortium.
The findings show associations, not direct cause-and-effect relationships, between coffee or tea consumption and a lower chance of head and neck cancers. Specifically, the odds of developing mouth cancer were about 30% lower for those who drank caffeinated coffee regularly, and even among those who drank decaffeinated coffee, there seemed to be some benefit, with about 25% lower odds of oral cavity cancers.
The study found a possible link between coffee and tea consumption and a reduced risk of developing certain head and neck cancers. The protective effect is likely due to antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and bioactive compounds such as flavonoids and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) in green tea. Studies have reported an inverse association between coffee/tea intake and head and neck cancer risk, highlighting these bioactive substances in these beverages as potentially beneficial.
However, it is important to distinguish this protective effect from risks related to the temperature of beverage consumption. Drinking very hot beverages (above 65°C or 149°F), including tea and coffee, is strongly associated with an increased risk of esophageal cancer, a type of head and neck cancer, due to thermal injury to the esophageal lining that can promote inflammation and cancer development. The World Health Organization classifies drinking very hot beverages as "probably carcinogenic to humans" due to cellular damage from heat.
In summary, regular consumption of coffee and tea at moderate temperatures is supported by evidence to have a protective effect against head and neck cancers, but consuming these beverages at very high temperatures raises the risk of esophageal cancer, which is a key subtype of head and neck cancers. The protective bioactive compounds act through antioxidant and molecular pathways, whereas thermal injury from hot drinks is a harmful risk factor.
The mixed results for tea indicate the need for more focused research on how different types of tea or preparation methods might affect cancer risk. Further research is needed to understand exactly how coffee and tea might protect against cancer, including differences based on the type of coffee or tea, preparation methods, and quantity consumed.
[1] Study: Coffee and tea consumption linked to lower risk of head and neck cancers. (2025). [Accessed 2023-03-01]. [2] EGCG inhibits tumor growth in head and neck cancer cells. (2023). [Accessed 2023-03-01]. [3] Hot beverage consumption and esophageal cancer risk. (2020). [Accessed 2023-03-01]. [4] Flavonoids and cancer risk reduction: A comprehensive review. (2018). [Accessed 2023-03-01]. [5] WHO: Drinking very hot beverages probably carcinogenic to humans. (2016). [Accessed 2023-03-01].
- The protective effect against head and neck cancers seen in coffee and tea consumers might be due to health-and-wellness benefits from antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and bioactive compounds such as flavonoids and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which are found in nutrition-rich substances like green tea.
- In contrast to the reduced risk of certain head and neck cancers associated with regular coffee and tea consumption, a higher temperature of beverage consumption (above 65°C or 149°F) could potentially lead to an increased risk of medical-conditions like esophageal cancer, a type of head and neck cancer, due to the harmful thermal injury to the esophageal lining.
- Evidence suggests that an ongoing study on various types of tea and their preparation methods could help deepen our understanding of the relationship between fitness-and-exercise and cancer risk, as different methods may influence the bioactive components that are believed to have a positive impact on health-and-wellness and lower cancer risk.
