Drinking coffee or tea at very high temperatures may substantially increase the risk of a specific type of esophageal cancer, according to a large study of nearly 980,000 adults in the United Kingdom. Researchers found that people who preferred their drinks very hot had more than three times the risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma compared with those who preferred warm drinks. The study also found a significant increase in risk among people who consumed six or more hot drinks each day.
The Largest Study of Its Kind
The Largest Study of Its Kind
Cancer Risk Rose With Drink Temperature
The researchers found a clear association between preferred temperature and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, the most common form of esophageal cancer worldwide. People who preferred hot drinks had almost twice the risk of the disease compared with those who preferred warm drinks. For people who preferred very hot beverages, the risk was more than three times higher. The study also found that frequency mattered. After accounting for drink temperature, consuming six or more hot drinks per day was associated with a 71% higher risk compared with drinking fewer than six.
Why Could Hot Drinks Affect the Esophagus?
The esophagus is the muscular tube that carries food and beverages from the mouth to the stomach. Researchers believe repeated exposure to very hot liquids could damage the cells lining the esophagus and trigger inflammation. That provides a possible biological explanation for the association observed in the study. The International Agency for Research on Cancer previously classified drinking very hot beverages as probably carcinogenic to humans. It defines "very hot" beverages as those above 65 degrees Celsius, or 149 degrees Fahrenheit. The new research is significant because much of the earlier evidence came from regions such as South America, Asia and the Middle East, where hot beverage consumption patterns can differ from those in Western countries.
Adding Milk Did Not Eliminate the Risk
Many people in the UK drink tea or coffee with milk, raising the question of whether milk could reduce the effects of high temperatures. The researchers found that cancer risk did not appear to change depending on whether participants added milk, as long as the beverage remained hot. That suggests the temperature of the drink may be more important than whether it contains milk.
The Absolute Risk Remains Relatively Low
Despite the increase in relative risk, esophageal cancer remains relatively uncommon. In the UK, the disease accounts for about 2% of all cancer cases, with people facing roughly a 1% lifetime risk of being diagnosed with esophageal cancer. In the United States, esophageal cancer is estimated to account for about 1.1% of new cancer cases in 2026. Researchers therefore emphasize that the findings do not mean most people who drink hot coffee or tea will develop cancer. Smoking remains the biggest risk factor for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, according to the study's lead researcher.
A Simple Way to Lower Exposure
For people concerned about the findings, researchers say one straightforward step is to let hot beverages cool before drinking them. A drink can cool naturally by sitting for several minutes. Adding milk or cold water, blowing on it or taking smaller sips can also lower the temperature before it reaches the esophagus. One researcher not involved in the study said previous evidence showing that hot liquids can damage the cells lining the esophagus provides a plausible explanation for the findings. However, experts also cautioned against treating the results as definitive proof that hot drinks directly cause cancer.
The Study Has Important Limitations
The researchers did not measure the actual temperature of the beverages consumed by participants. Instead, participants described their preferred drink temperature themselves. Different people may perceive the same temperature differently depending on the sensitivity of their mouths. That means the study establishes a strong association but cannot determine exactly what temperature threshold produces the reported increase in risk. Researchers also cannot rule out every other factor that might contribute to the observed relationship.
What Comes Next
The findings add to existing evidence that repeatedly consuming very hot beverages may be harmful to the esophagus. For coffee and tea drinkers, the practical takeaway is relatively simple: allowing drinks to cool below scalding temperatures may reduce exposure to the heat associated with the increased risk. Further research could help establish more precise temperature thresholds and clarify how repeated heat exposure contributes to esophageal cancer.
FAQ
Can drinking very hot coffee or tea increase cancer risk?
The study found that people who preferred very hot beverages had more than three times the risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma compared with people who preferred warm drinks.
What temperature is considered very hot for beverages?
The International Agency for Research on Cancer defines very hot beverages as those above 65 degrees Celsius, or 149 degrees Fahrenheit.
Does drinking six or more hot drinks a day increase cancer risk?
Yes. The study found that consuming six or more hot drinks daily was associated with a 71% higher risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma compared with drinking fewer than six, after accounting for temperature.
Does adding milk make hot coffee or tea safer?
The study found no meaningful difference in cancer risk based on whether participants added milk, provided the beverage was still hot.
Should people stop drinking coffee and tea?
The findings do not suggest that people need to stop drinking coffee or tea. Researchers instead recommend allowing very hot beverages to cool before drinking them.
