The nation's favourite beverage has been consistently linked with a form of throat cancer, according to scientific research.
As reported by the Daily Record, the disease that takes many different forms will affect one in two of us, and affects millions each year, according to Cancer Research UK.
Evidence also suggests that there are certain steps you could take to modify the level of risk of various types of cancer.
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A specific step could be avoiding or cutting back on beverages such as tea and coffee, as they could be linked to oesophageal cancer - the pipe carrying food from your mouth to your stomach.
The research published by the International Journal of Cancer stated: "Coffee, tea and maté [a tealike beverage, popular in many South American countries] may cause oesophageal cancer by causing thermal injury to the oesophageal mucosa."
The mucosa is the inner lining of the oesophagus, and is extremely sensitive.
The scientists continued: "If so, the risk of oesophageal cancer attributable to thermal injury could be large in populations in which these beverages are commonly consumed."
Also, tea or coffee could either cause or prevent the cancer, via their chemical components.
The scientists noted a huge number of epidemiologic studies that looked into the association of high temperature drinks or hot food, and their link with cancer.
In addition to this systematic review, they also reported the results for amount of, and the level of temperature seperately.
By looking through PubMed and the ISI, the researchers found 59 eligible studies.
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For coffee and tea, the researchers found little evidence for an association between amount of use and oesophageal cancer risk; however, the majority of studies showed an increased risk of oesophageal cancer associated with higher drinking temperature which was statistically significant in most of them.
For other hot foods and drinks, over half of the studies showed statistically significant increased risks of oesophageal cancer associated with higher temperature of intake.
"Overall, the available results strongly suggest that high-temperature beverage drinking increases the risk of EC [oesophageal cancer]," the researchers concluded.
Other studies have confirmed this association.
In 2020, a study published in the European Journal of Cancer Prevention, the act of drinking very hot tea (65°C or higher) was significantly associated with the increased risk of oesophageal cancer.
Consumption of black tea, irrespective of the frequency, intensity and tea leaf amount, was significantly also associated with a higher risk.
Other risk factors of oesophageal cancer include:
- Being over the age of 75 - the cancer is uncommon in those under 45
- are male
- have specific medical conditions, such as a long-term, severe acid reflux or gastro-oseophageal reflux disease, or a condition called Barrett's oesophagus.
What are the main symptoms?
- Having issues swallowing (dyshpagia)
- Feeling nauseous or being sick
- Heartburn or acid reflux
- Indigestion symptoms, such as consistent burping
Other symptoms include a cough that is not getting better, a hoarse voice and a loss of appetite or losing weight without trying to, says the NHS.
"If you have another condition, such as gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, you may get symptoms like these regularly," the health body notes.
