A prospective study of tea drinking temperature and risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
- Study type
- Observational study
- Study name
- Golestan Cohort — tea temperature
- Design
- Prospective analysis within the population-based Golestan Cohort Study with objective measurement of tea temperature
- Sample size
- 50,045 people; 317 cases of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma
- Source
- Int J Cancer · 2020
In plain words
Drinking very hot tea is very common in northern Iran. In this study, the temperature of people's tea was actually measured with a thermometer, and they were then followed for about 10 years. People who drank their tea at 60 degrees or hotter, or drank it less than 2 minutes after pouring, were more likely to develop cancer of the oesophagus (gullet). The message is simple: do not give up tea, but wait a few minutes for it to cool a little.
Key results
Study population
Participants aged 40 to 75 years in the Golestan Cohort Study (enrolled 2004 to 2008, north-eastern Iran) with a median follow-up of 10.1 years (505,865 person-years).
Endpoints
Outcome: incidence of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma in relation to tea temperature (objectively measured and self-reported), the interval from pouring to drinking, and the volume consumed.
Clinical significance and place in guidelines
This was the first prospective study to measure tea drinking temperature objectively, and it strengthened the association between hot beverages and oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Its practical message is to wait a few minutes before drinking freshly brewed tea, especially in high-risk areas such as Golestan.
Limitations
The study is observational; tea temperature was measured only at baseline; the results relate to a specific high-risk population, and generalisation to other populations should be made with caution.
This summary was prepared by the editorial team from the published paper; the original paper is the final reference. Read the original abstract on PubMed.