For millions of Europeans, a steaming cup of tea or coffee is a daily ritual. But new research from the University of Oxford suggests that how hot you take your drink could have serious health implications. The largest study of its kind has found that regularly consuming beverages at very high temperatures may nearly triple the risk of developing oesophageal cancer.
The findings, published in the International Journal of Cancer, are based on a 14-year analysis of almost one million middle-aged men and women in the United Kingdom. Participants who reported drinking their tea or coffee “very hot” — defined by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as 65°C or above — were found to have a nearly threefold higher risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma of the oesophagus compared to those who preferred their drinks “warm”.
The study also highlighted a dose-response relationship: consuming six or more very hot drinks per day further increased the risk. While most people in Europe drink their beverages at temperatures between 50 and 60°C, preparation methods and regional habits can push temperatures higher.
A rare but serious cancer
Oesophageal cancer is relatively uncommon, but it is often aggressive. In the UK, it ranks as the 14th most common cancer, according to Cancer Research UK. The subtype linked to hot drinks, squamous cell carcinoma, is particularly rare. Still, the study’s lead author, Keren Papier, a nutritional epidemiologist at Oxford’s population health department, stressed the importance of the findings.
“The risk is a 1% lifetime risk of being diagnosed with this cancer in the UK,” Papier said. “But of course, drinking tea and coffee are things that are quite widely consumed, so if we can let the drink cool down a little bit, that would definitely be beneficial to help with preventing this cancer from occurring.”
Papier advised that if a drink feels uncomfortably hot, it is wise to let it sit for a few minutes before taking a sip. Even adding milk may not cool the beverage enough to eliminate the risk.
Beyond temperature: known risk factors
The study adds to a growing body of evidence linking hot beverage consumption to oesophageal cancer, but experts caution that other lifestyle factors play a more significant role. Smoking and excessive alcohol consumption remain the primary modifiable risk factors for this disease, followed by obesity.
“The best thing beyond our study is to make sure that you cut your smoking and maybe avoiding alcohol helps a bit as well,” Papier said. “It’s important to keep what we know generally about the risk factors of cancer across this cancer and other cancers, and not to forget that when thinking about prevention.”
For Europeans, who consume an average of 5.7 kg of coffee per person each year, the practical takeaway is simple: let your drink cool slightly before enjoying it. While the absolute risk remains low, small changes in daily habits could contribute to better long-term health.
This research is part of a broader effort to understand how everyday choices affect cancer risk. Other recent studies have explored longevity genes in bats and micro-robots for drug delivery, highlighting the diverse approaches scientists are taking to tackle the disease.
