Hot Drinks Above 65°C Linked to Higher Cancer Risk, Study Finds

A new study has raised concerns about the potential health risks of drinking beverages at extremely high temperatures, with researchers finding a possible link between very hot drinks and certain types of esophageal cancer.

The research, funded by Cancer Research UK and involving data from approximately 977,000 people, examined whether the temperature at which people consumed beverages could influence their risk of developing cancer.

The findings suggest that people who regularly drank hot beverages had a 1.7 times higher risk of esophageal cancer, while the risk appeared to increase further among those consuming drinks at extremely high temperatures.

Health expert Dr. Oscar Duke said repeated exposure to intense heat could damage the cells lining the throat and esophagus. Over time, this repeated irritation may contribute to cellular changes associated with cancer.

The study specifically highlighted beverages consumed at temperatures above 65 degrees Celsius. Researchers noted that people drinking six or more very hot beverages a day could face greater concern.

However, experts stressed that the findings should be interpreted carefully. The results do not mean that people who enjoy tea or coffee need to stop drinking them altogether.

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Instead, the research points to a simple precaution: allowing very hot drinks to cool before drinking them may help reduce repeated heat exposure to the esophagus.

Esophageal cancer can be a serious disease, although squamous cell carcinoma is not the most common form in every population. The study therefore adds to existing evidence about how lifestyle and dietary habits may influence cancer risk, rather than proving that hot beverages directly cause cancer.