Drinking very hot tea and coffee is linked to a greater risk of esophageal cancer

by Paul Arnold, Medical Xpress

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edited by Lisa Lock, reviewed by Robert Egan

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That morning brew may be doing you more harm than good. A study of almost 1 million tea and coffee drinkers has linked very hot drinks to a threefold greater risk of developing one type of esophageal cancer.

This isn't the first time hot beverages have been linked to cancer. Earlier studies in Asia, Africa, South America and the Middle East found an association, but there has been far less evidence from Western populations. However, this research, led by Dr. Keren Papier, a nutritional epidemiologist at the University of Oxford, showed that temperatures typical of U.K. drinking habits were also linked to an increased risk.

But how much difference could everyday drinking habits actually make? To find out, scientists turned to a vast health data set. Researchers analyzed data from 977,282 adults who were asked about their hot drink consumption habits, whether they preferred their drinks warm, hot or very hot, and how many cups of tea and coffee they drank daily.

They then tracked participants' health data through NHS (National Health Service) records for more than a decade. In particular, they were on the lookout for new diagnoses of esophageal cancer while taking into account lifestyle factors like smoking, alcohol intake and body weight.

What's brewing in the data?

During the study period, 2,348 participants developed esophageal cancer, which affects the esophagus, the tube connecting the mouth to the stomach. However, the data revealed an important difference. When the team separated the cases and looked at the different types of esophageal cancer, they found that higher drink temperatures were not linked to them equally, as they write in their paper published in the International Journal of Cancer.

Drinking very hot beverages, as opposed to warm beverages, was linked to a threefold higher risk of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), a type of esophageal cancer that forms in the thin, flat cells lining the inside of the esophagus. People who preferred their drinks hot also faced an elevated risk, though not nearly as steep as those who preferred them very hot.

But temperature wasn't the only thing that mattered. The number of drinks consumed daily was also a factor. People who drank six or more cups of tea or coffee a day saw their risk of SCC jump significantly compared with those who drank fewer cups. The association was similar regardless of whether people primarily drank tea or coffee, suggesting that the risk came from the temperature of the liquid rather than any specific ingredient.

"This large study provides robust evidence that drink temperature as well as frequency of hot drink consumption are likely to be substantial risk factors for SCC," wrote the study authors.

However, when it comes to esophageal adenocarcinoma, the other major type of esophageal cancer, researchers found no link between disease risk and beverage temperature and only a small association with daily intake.

Cooling things down

Because the cancer risk was linked to temperature, the scientists offer straightforward advice. "Our findings suggest that reducing drink temperature in populations where tea and coffee are frequently consumed could offer an important means of SCC prevention."

Written for you by our author Paul Arnold, edited by Lisa Lock, and fact-checked and reviewed by Robert Egan—this article is the result of careful human work. We rely on readers like you to keep independent science journalism alive. If this reporting matters to you, please consider a donation (especially monthly). You'll get an ad-free account as a thank-you.

Publication details

Keren Papier et al, Hot Drinks and Oesophageal Cancer: Prospective Analyses in Around 1 Million UK Adults, International Journal of Cancer (2026). DOI: 10.1002/ijc.70654

Journal information: International Journal of Cancer

Key medical concepts

Esophageal Squamous Cell CarcinomaAdenocarcinoma Of Esophagus

Clinical categories

OncologyCommon illnesses & PreventionGastroenterology Who's behind this story?

Paul Arnold

BSc Biology from University of London. BBC documentary producer with world travel experience. Freelances from southern Spain. Full profile →

Lisa Lock

BA art history, MA material culture. Former museum editor, paramedic, and transplant coordinator. Editing for Science X since 2021. Full profile →

Robert Egan

Bachelor's in mathematical biology, Master's in creative writing. Well-traveled with unique perspectives on science and language. Full profile →

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Citation: Drinking very hot tea and coffee is linked to a greater risk of esophageal cancer (2026, September 11) retrieved 11 September 2026 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-hot-tea-coffee-linked-greater.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.