Coffee May Lower Fatality Risk from Oral Cancer, Study Says
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Gerald Zanetti/FoodPix(NEW YORK) — It seems that an extra jolt of java can protect you against certain forms of cancer.
A study published online in the American Journal of Epidemiology says coffee may be keeping you safe from cancers of the mouth and throat.
According to the American Cancer Society, about 35,000 new cases of oral cancers are expected in the U.S. this year.
Researchers from the American Cancer Society examined coffee-drinking habits in nearly one million men and women. They found that those who drank at least four cups of caffeinated coffee had about half the risk of dying from mouth and throat cancer as those who drank no coffee or seldom drank it.
And the same was true even among those who used tobacco and alcohol — the strongest risk factors for oral cancers.
The study authors say they don’t know exactly how coffee might work to protect against these cancers.
They add there’s not enough evidence yet to recommend that you start drinking coffee — or drink more of it — for cancer prevention.
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