On the 20th of March (Yesterday as I'm writing this), the Daily Mail published two news stories about how drinking hot drinks, such as tea or coffee, would cause oesophageal cancer. Oesophageal cancer, or cancer of the oesophagus, is a malignant tumour of the tube which connects the mouth to the stomach. This type of cancer in the UK is more typically diagnosed in older age. The Cancer Research website states that 80% of Oesophageal Cancer developes in ages over 60 years old. Though despite this the Daily Mail headlines read that 'Hot Drinks Linked to 90% Increased Risk of Oesophageal Cancer' and 'Put Milk in Your Tea to Fight Off Cancer: Drinking Pipping Hot Tea or Coffee Could 'Double Your Risk of Developing Tumours in the Oesophagus'.
To be honest, drinking hot drinks and developing a higher risk of oesophageal cancer isn't a new concept to the scientific world. This topic has been written about within journal articles a few times. The first and earliest one, that I saw, was written ten years ago by the science journal - The BMJ (British Medical Journal). This paper (Source) was written to publish a population-based study observing the tea drinking habits of Iran. They were trying to see if there was a link to oesophageal cancer and tea. Only because that type of cancer was more common there than in the UK. In the UK, 3% of the population will get oesophageal cancer. Though in Iran, it is the 8th most common cancer. This study highlighted the habits of the Iran people. They drank black tea (tea without milk), did not let the cup cool as well as drank more than a litre daily. By their habits alone, that could be increasing the risk.
The latest study (that I found) was written by the BMJ in 2018 (Source). It was a similar population-based study just with Chinese people. In this study, they were 450,000 people. This wasn't to see if tea cause oesophageal cancer alone. This study showed that drinking tea as well as also having additional risky choices (risk factors) such as smoking and drinking alcohol, increased risk of Oesophageal Cancer.
It's not surprising that this topic has made its way to some of the UK's largest newspapers. The previous Chinese study, that I was mentioned, has already been reported on by the Daily Times. It happened quickly in the weeks following the paper's release. Though these are quite significant risks. It's important to realise that China and Iran are different countries to the UK. These countries such as China and Iran rate oesophageal cancer as their eighth most common cancer. But in the UK, we have different types of cancers which are common. Our eighth most common cancer is 'Head and Neck' cancers. Cancer tumours which base themselves in the mouth, voice box or nose. They are 12,000 cases yearly. Oesophageal cancer ranks in at 13th in the 20 most common cancers. In the Uk, there are 9,200 cases. Much more than that 442,000 cases in Iran (Source).
I'm not saying that newspapers shouldn't publish works from other countries. Nor saying that oesophageal cancer is not significate. Any public awareness on cancer is a good thing. It's just that you can't be certain on the particular study which is referenced on in the newpapers. Due to newspapers not declaring their references. So you can't really research the topic easily if you wanted. The study in both news stories sounds very close to the Iran study which I mentioned earlier. The Iran study (written by BMJ) had 48,582 people involve - not exactly the 50,000 stated by the newspaper. But, I can't debate the name which kept popping up. Just like the Daily Mail reported, the main researcher for Iran study was Dr Farhad Islami.
The newspaper story was published on the 20th of March 2019 while the paper of the Iran study was published 10 years ago - on the 27th March 2009. Although any sort of public awareness on cancer is a good thing. It just seems to me that some newspapers are just publishing topics which have a 'shock' factor in order to boost their newspaper sights.
The second Daily Mail article (Source), this stated the same facts as the first news story. It too was reporting on the Iran study by Dr Farhad Islami. Yet, it was published a minute before the first one. I know both stories were authored by different people. So it could have been an accident. Though it does seem like they don't check their news stories. They are so similiar in their context, just have different ways of communicating it.
It's up to the readers to change their consumption of foods stated here. Though it seems opinions differ constantly over what is healthy now. I'll just continue with my usual... probably bad, habits.
When researching these news stories, I noticed that the NHS has actually published two pages on the risks of Oesophageal Cancer when drinking hot drinks too. Both pages discuss this topic in detail in two different times - Referencing the two scientific studies which I had written about previously. If you want to read any of the source, here are the links:
Daily Mail's Second Article
Daily Mail's first Article
NHS: Does Drinking Very Hot Tea Cause Oesophageal Cancer?
NHS: Hot Tea and Cancer
To be honest, drinking hot drinks and developing a higher risk of oesophageal cancer isn't a new concept to the scientific world. This topic has been written about within journal articles a few times. The first and earliest one, that I saw, was written ten years ago by the science journal - The BMJ (British Medical Journal). This paper (Source) was written to publish a population-based study observing the tea drinking habits of Iran. They were trying to see if there was a link to oesophageal cancer and tea. Only because that type of cancer was more common there than in the UK. In the UK, 3% of the population will get oesophageal cancer. Though in Iran, it is the 8th most common cancer. This study highlighted the habits of the Iran people. They drank black tea (tea without milk), did not let the cup cool as well as drank more than a litre daily. By their habits alone, that could be increasing the risk.
The latest study (that I found) was written by the BMJ in 2018 (Source). It was a similar population-based study just with Chinese people. In this study, they were 450,000 people. This wasn't to see if tea cause oesophageal cancer alone. This study showed that drinking tea as well as also having additional risky choices (risk factors) such as smoking and drinking alcohol, increased risk of Oesophageal Cancer.
It's not surprising that this topic has made its way to some of the UK's largest newspapers. The previous Chinese study, that I was mentioned, has already been reported on by the Daily Times. It happened quickly in the weeks following the paper's release. Though these are quite significant risks. It's important to realise that China and Iran are different countries to the UK. These countries such as China and Iran rate oesophageal cancer as their eighth most common cancer. But in the UK, we have different types of cancers which are common. Our eighth most common cancer is 'Head and Neck' cancers. Cancer tumours which base themselves in the mouth, voice box or nose. They are 12,000 cases yearly. Oesophageal cancer ranks in at 13th in the 20 most common cancers. In the Uk, there are 9,200 cases. Much more than that 442,000 cases in Iran (Source).
I'm not saying that newspapers shouldn't publish works from other countries. Nor saying that oesophageal cancer is not significate. Any public awareness on cancer is a good thing. It's just that you can't be certain on the particular study which is referenced on in the newpapers. Due to newspapers not declaring their references. So you can't really research the topic easily if you wanted. The study in both news stories sounds very close to the Iran study which I mentioned earlier. The Iran study (written by BMJ) had 48,582 people involve - not exactly the 50,000 stated by the newspaper. But, I can't debate the name which kept popping up. Just like the Daily Mail reported, the main researcher for Iran study was Dr Farhad Islami.
The newspaper story was published on the 20th of March 2019 while the paper of the Iran study was published 10 years ago - on the 27th March 2009. Although any sort of public awareness on cancer is a good thing. It just seems to me that some newspapers are just publishing topics which have a 'shock' factor in order to boost their newspaper sights.
The second Daily Mail article (Source), this stated the same facts as the first news story. It too was reporting on the Iran study by Dr Farhad Islami. Yet, it was published a minute before the first one. I know both stories were authored by different people. So it could have been an accident. Though it does seem like they don't check their news stories. They are so similiar in their context, just have different ways of communicating it.
It's up to the readers to change their consumption of foods stated here. Though it seems opinions differ constantly over what is healthy now. I'll just continue with my usual... probably bad, habits.
When researching these news stories, I noticed that the NHS has actually published two pages on the risks of Oesophageal Cancer when drinking hot drinks too. Both pages discuss this topic in detail in two different times - Referencing the two scientific studies which I had written about previously. If you want to read any of the source, here are the links:
Daily Mail's Second Article
Daily Mail's first Article
NHS: Does Drinking Very Hot Tea Cause Oesophageal Cancer?
NHS: Hot Tea and Cancer
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