Drinking Coffee & Tea Shows Promise in Fighting Head & Neck Cancer

Researchers have discovered that morning beverage choices might have significant implications for cancer prevention. A recent study published in the journal Cancer, examining data from over 25,000 individuals, revealed that coffee and tea consumption may considerably reduce the risk of specific head and neck cancers.1 The findings mark an advance in understanding how common dietary choices influence cancer risk. This insight is particularly significant as head and neck cancer ranks as the seventh most common cancer worldwide, with approximately 890,000 new cases and 450,000 deaths annually.2 The classification encompasses cancers of the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx. According to the research, while overall head and neck cancer rates have declined in high-income countries, specific subtypes like oropharyngeal cancer continue to rise, driven largely by human papillomavirus infections. Research Methods & Study Design Coffee and tea, known for their bioactive compounds, contain antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that have been associated with potential health benefits. By analyzing these beverages in the context of head and neck cancer, the study expanded on previous research suggesting their possible protective effects, offering new insights into how dietary factors might influence cancer risk. Specifically, to better understand the potential dietary factors that might influence head and neck cancer risk, the researchers relied upon the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology (INHANCE) consortium, which conducted an extensive pooled analysis examining data from 14 case-control studies. This provided a large sample size to investigate potential links between beverage consumption and cancer risk, particularly focusing on coffee and tea. The research team analyzed information from 9,548 head and neck cancer cases and 15,783 controls across multiple countries, representing nearly 3 decades of data collection. The study population showed distinct characteristics. Among cancer cases, 92.9 percent were non-Hispanic White individuals and 79.3 percent were males. Cases typically had lower education levels and body mass index, smoked more cigarettes daily, and consumed higher amounts of alcoholic drinks compared to controls.1 To ensure accuracy, the research team employed advanced statistical methods using random-effects logistic regression to calculate odds ratios and 95 percent confidence intervals for head and neck cancer and its subsites. They standardized consumption data across studies using midpoints of ranges when exact amounts weren't available. “We did adjust for the age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, body mass index, duration of cigarette consumption, daily cigarette consumption, duration of cigar usage, duration of pipe usage, and also daily alcohol consumption. We also included fruit consumption and vegetable consumption as a whole group of fruit and a whole group of vegetables,” noted Yuan-Chin Amy Lee, PhD, the study's senior author. Protective Effects & Complex Findings Above all, this analysis showed evidence of coffee's protective potential against various forms of head and neck cancer with both caffeinated and decaffeinated varieties showing benefits. Individuals consuming more than four cups of caffeinated coffee daily demonstrated a 17 percent lower risk of head and neck cancer overall, with particularly strong protection against oral cavity cancer (30% reduction) and oropharyngeal cancer (22% reduction). Regular consumption of decaffeinated coffee showed similar benefits, reducing oral cavity cancer risk by 25 percent.1 While the findings provided strong evidence for coffee's cancer-fighting potential as well, the researchers then sought to better the underlying mechanisms responsible for these protective effects. “Since it also shows the association [with] decaffeinated [coffee], we are suspecting that maybe polyphenols, which are bioactive compounds found in caffeinated coffee, decaffeinated coffee, and tea, have exhibited anti-oxidative and anti-cancer properties that contribute to the inhibition of cancer development process and some lab-based studies on human cancer cell lines also show some evidence on those,” Lee explained. This study further demonstrated a clear dose-response relationship with stronger benefits observed at higher consumption levels. The most significant protection was found with more than four cups daily for oral cavity cancer and 3-4 cups daily for hypopharyngeal cancer. Tea consumption showed mixed results. While it demonstrated protective effects against hypopharyngeal cancer, with regular tea drinkers showing a 29 percent lower risk, it unexpectedly increased the risk of laryngeal cancer by 38 percent among those consuming more than one cup daily.1 “We were originally expecting a similar association as the other subsites. So after we saw our result, we tried to look into this potential relationship. This association might be happening because of theophylline,” said Lee. “It's a bioactive compound in tea that can reduce lower esophageal sphincter pressure and could induce acid reflux and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). In the previous literature, GERD has been associated with a higher risk of laryngeal cancer.” Geographical Differences in Coffee & Tea Notably, findings from this study showed regional variations in the effectiveness of coffee and tea consumption. The research drew primarily from seven European studies, six North American studies, and one Latin American study. “For coffee and tea information, there were many available in the European and American studies. So the results actually suggested the protective effects are more robust within the European region. However, due to the smaller sample size by region, we need further study in order to comment on any geographical variation,” Lee noted. These geographical limitations, combined with the complexity of coffee and tea consumption patterns, highlight the need for additional research before making broad public health recommendations. “Before any health recommendations can be given to the public, I think it will require a panel of experts in this field to review all the evidence in this research field to date,” emphasized Lee. “Coffee habits are also fairly complex, and these findings really support the need for more data and further study around the impact coffee can have. People should consult with their health care providers before any habit changes due to any potential metabolism differences.” Moving forward, the researchers plan to expand their investigation into coffee and tea and head and neck cancer beyond Western populations. They will also explore specific aspects of beverage consumption. “While [the] study mainly had studies from Western countries, it will be helpful to see if we can recruit more studies from beyond the Western countries. Any further details on coffee and tea habits will be interesting to look into,” Lee explained. “That's something we would like to try to explore for the future.” Ultimately, their findings contribute to a growing body of evidence linking dietary factors to cancer prevention. Previous research has connected coffee consumption to reduced risks of liver, prostate, and colorectal cancers,3 while tea has shown protective effects against bladder, breast, and pancreatic cancers.4 The varying effects of these beverages on different cancer sites emphasize the importance of developing targeted prevention strategies. Future investigations will focus on several critical aspects, including potential side effects, the impact of different preparation methods, additives like sugar and milk, and the role of beverage temperature. These studies will help develop more precise dietary recommendations and advance our understanding of how everyday beverage choices might contribute to cancer prevention. Lindsey Nolen is a contributing writer.