'Very hot' drinks can increase the risk of developing oesophageal cancer, largest study finds

Drinking "very hot" drinks can increase the chances of developing oesophageal cancer, the largest study of its kind has warned.

In a survey of nearly a million people in the UK, researchers found those who had their drinks "very hot" faced around a three times higher risk of the illness than people who drank them "warm".

Steaming hot liquid can damage the cell lining of the food pipe on the way down to the stomach, which could increase the chance of cancer developing, experts believe.

Using data from around 980,000 adults, researchers found people who said they enjoyed hot drinks had around a 1.7 times higher risk of cancer.

Experts from Oxford Population Health at the University of Oxford assessed the data taken from the UK Biobank and the Million Women Study.

Hot drinks have been linked to a risk of oesophageal cancer before, but this is the most comprehensive study to examine the issue.

The number of hot drinks consumed is also a factor, with anyone having six or more a day facing a higher risk compared to those drinking fewer than six.

Letting tea and coffee cool down first or adding cold milk can negate the risk, experts have said.

The study did not record the temperature of drinks, but in 2016, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified drinking very hot beverages (above 65C) as "probably carcinogenic".

The new study said the temperature at which coffee and tea is drunk in Western populations is estimated to be around 60C.

Fiona Osgun of Cancer Research UK, said the research adds to the evidence that "drinking very hot drinks could increase the risk of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma" and advised people to "let a cuppa cool down a little before taking a sip".

The two main types of oesophageal cancer are adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).

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While drink temperature affected SCC risk in the study, there was no obvious impact on adenocarcinoma risk.

Overall, there are around 9,500 cases of oesophageal cancer in the UK every year.

People in the UK have around a 1% lifetime risk of being diagnosed with SCC.

Dr Keren Papier, from Oxford Population Health, said the report "adds to existing evidence that drinking very hot drinks could increase the risk of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

"More research is now needed to identify the exact drink temperatures linked to this increased risk."

Ms Osgun said the risk of being diagnosed with this cancer "remains relatively low in the UK", while not smoking and cutting down on alcohol are "the most important ways to reduce the risk of this cancer type".

(c) Sky News 2026: 'Very hot' drinks can increase the risk of developing oesophageal cancer, largest study finds