oesophageal cancer risk and consumption of hot drinks

Oesophageal cancer risk and consumption of “hot” drinks:

Methodology and limitations

• there was no objective thermometer measurement used for participants' daily drinks
• researchers relied entirely on self-reported preferences
• study participants were simply asked to select how they typically preferred to consume hot beverages from three subjective categories: 'warm', 'hot', or 'very hot'
• combined data from the Million Women Study and the UK Biobank tracking approximately 1 million UK adults
• during an average follow-up of 14.2 years (Million Women Study) and 11.1 years (UK Biobank), 2,348 incident oesophageal cancers occurred (1,045 squamous cell carcinoma, 1,303 adenocarcinoma)

Key clinical findings

• consumption of drinks at a 'very hot' versus 'warm' temperature was associated with a 3-fold greater squamous cell carcinoma risk (relative risk = 3.17 [95% confidence interval: 2.49, 4.03])
• there was no association between 'very hot' temperature and adenocarcinoma risk (relative risk = 0.92 [95% confidence interval: 0.76, 1.12])
• independent of drink temperature, daily consumption of 6+ versus <6 hot drinks was associated with a 71% increase in squamous cell carcinoma risk (relative risk = 1.71 [95% confidence interval: 1.51, 1.94]), with little association with adenocarcinoma risk (relative risk = 1.19 [95% confidence interval: 1.06, 1.33])
• observed associations were relatively unaffected by adjustment for key confounders, including smoking status or alcohol intake
• risk was evident in both never-smokers and light drinkers and is therefore unlikely to be explained by residual confounding

Mechanism and clinical implications

• most likely mechanism is thermal injury, which may impair mucosal integrity and promote carcinogenic processes
• study authors suggest that in UK adults, an estimated 14% of squamous cell carcinoma oesophageal cancers could be avoided if individuals who reported consuming their drinks at a 'very hot' temperature instead consumed them at a temperature more representative of the temperature range described as 'hot' or 'warm'

Reference:

1. Papier K, Gaitskell K, Floud S, Reeves GK. Hot Drinks and Oesophageal Cancer: Prospective Analyses in Around 1 Million UK Adults. Int J Cancer. 2026:1–9.