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Drinking very hot tea linked to oesophageal cancer

BMJ 2018; 360 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.k543 (Published 05 February 2018) Cite this as: BMJ 2018;360:k543
  1. Jacqui Wise
  1. London

Regularly drinking very hot tea, when combined with tobacco or alcohol use, is associated with an increased risk for oesophageal cancer, according to a Chinese study with more than 450 000 participants.1

However, the study, published in Annals of Internal Medicine, found no increased risk of oesophageal cancer in those who drank hot tea but did not smoke or regularly drink alcohol.

Alcohol consumption and tobacco smoking are already well established causes of oesophageal squamous cell cancer. China is among the countries with the highest incidence of oesophageal cancer. Tea drinkers, especially Chinese men, are more likely to smoke …

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