Can You Get Colon Cancer from Sodas, Coffee And Tea?
For years, medical researchers have tried to determine if a link exists between coffee, tea and soft drink consumption and colon cancer.
It seems part of the question may have been answered – at least for the moment. The news is great for coffee and tea drinkers, and uncertain for those who love sugary sodas.
A team from Harvard School of Public Health poured over more than a dozen research projects from North America and Europe before reaching their conclusions. The research team was led by Dr. Xuehong Zhang.
The study pooled data on more than 730,000 individuals scattered around the world, during a time frame that covered between six and twenty years. Cancer of the colon was eventually detected in approximately 5600 of the subjects. The researchers said their conclusions weren’t affected much by factors associated with gender, smoking and alcohol consumption.
The study results, reported in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, appear to conclude that people who drink a lot of coffee every day – even four cups or more – have the same chance of getting colon cancer than other people who don’t drink coffee at all.
The results of the study were also good for those who drank a lot of tea (32 ounces a day or more) – though not quite as good as the news for coffee drinkers. Tea drinkers ran a slightly higher risk of getting cancer of the colon.
The findings were somewhat more clouded where sugary soda beverages were concerned.
Sugary sodas have long been known to contribute to obesity. Obesity is a cause of a variety of interconnected conditions and diseases, and it’s virtually impossible to separate colon cancer from all the others.
Given the huge scope and size of the population studies, subjects’ beverage choices and volumes varied greatly. Therefore, getting pure data was difficult.
Other research has been inconsistent about whether coffee, sodas or tea boost the risk of colon cancer.
According to the American Cancer Society, slightly more than 100,000 individuals are diagnosed with colon cancer each year in the United States alone. About half that number of new rectal cancer cases are diagnosed. Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women in the United States. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, accounting for approximately 50,000 deaths every year.
Happily, the percentage of deaths has been falling in the last two decades. A number of factors have probably influenced this decrease.
One reason is that polyps – which sometimes become malignant – are being detected in greater numbers because there are more screening programs available.
As screening facilities and public awareness has grown, more and more cases are being discovered early, when the chances of successful treatment is greater.
There is also greater public awareness of the dangers of colon cancer, which was something that was rarely discussed or publicized for many years.
Finally, medical science has made great strides in the treatment of colon cancer. More and more individuals now survive the disease than could have been possible in previous years. As a result, there are now more than 1 million colorectal cancer survivors in the United States.
Doctors say everyone should take steps to protect colon health as we age. Regular colon cancer detection tests – like a colonoscopy – are strongly suggested for everyone over age 50.
Meanwhile, in the case of tea and coffee, it appears you can have all you want without fear of raising your chances of getting colon cancer.
Neal Kennedy is a former TV and radio talk show host who often writes on issues related to the dangers of colon cancer and the colonoscopy. To read more of his articles, visit Maintaining Colon Health.
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