1. Effects of Coffee Intake in Different Types of Cancer
Abstract
The relationship between coffee and cancer has been inadequately quantified.
The aim of this paper is to amass recent information between the relationship of coffee
intake and different types of cancer. Five studies were selected and examined, and the
types of cancer reviewed were lung cancer, testicular cancer, breast cancer, upper
gastrointestinal tract cancer, and oral, pharyngeal, and esophageal cancer. The result of
the studies, as well as the demographic characteristics of the subjects was compared.
Furthermore, the localization of the cancer and its direct or indirect interaction with
coffee were also compared.
Keywords: Coffee / decaffeinated coffee / caffeine / tea / lung cancer / esophageal
cancer / oral and pharyngeal cancer / testicular cancer / breast cancer / upper
gastrointestinal tract cancer/ case-control study / meta-analysis
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Introduction
Since the 1800’s coffee has been
a valuable worldwide trade commodity.
Coffee is a beverage, and the most
important end product obtained from
roasted coffee (Esquivel et al., 2011). It
is one of the most popular drinks in the
world and it is also used because of the
different properties that it possesses.
Coffee beans’ main alkaloid is
purine caffeine. Caffeine is known, and
constantly used, to increase alertness, to
increase blood circulation and
respiration, for mood enhancement, and
to produce better exercise performance
and reaction time, among others
(Esquivel et al. 2011). Succinct reviews
of the positive effects of coffee
consumption have been studied.
Because of its contents of
caffeine coffee studies often have
integrated white and black tea, and
decaffeinated coffee. They are examined
based on their consumption quantities
and how often they are ingested.
The aim of this paper is to review
recent information between the
relationship of coffee intake and
different types of cancer. The types of
cancer included in this paper are: lung
cancer, testicular cancer, breast cancer,
upper gastrointestinal tract cancer, and
oral, pharyngeal, and esophageal cancer.
Population vs. coffee and tea intake
effects
Four of the five studies were
conducted in the United States.
According to “The Specialty Coffee
Association of America” (SCAA), in
2012, 40% of subjects 18-24 said they
drank coffee daily, while 54%

2. of subjects 25-39 said they
drank coffee daily.
From the nine
populations, the country that has
the highest tea consumption
ratio per capita is Japan, and the
lowest is Italy.
Most of the consumption
habits of different populations
world wide, are determined or
affected by their culture. This is
why the United States, for
example, has a higher coffee
consumption ratio than a tea
consumption ratio compared
with Japan, who has a tea
culture.
Cancer localization and the
interaction of coffee
In the case of lung cancer,
according to the American Lung
Association, lung cancer is a malignant
tumor that destroys the healthy lung
tissue around it. Lung cancer is
associated with coffee because of its
contents of caffeine. Previous studies
have demonstrated that caffeine can
affect DNA repair, modify the apoptotic
response and perturb cell cycle
checkpoint integrity (Tang et al., 2009).
In addition, it has been shown that
caffeine can reduce the antioxidant and
anti-cancer activities of flavonoids,
which may play an important role
against the risk of lung cancer (Tang et
al., 2009).
With Upper Gastrointestinal
(UGI) tract cancer it has been found that
coffee contains compounds reducing
its risk (Ren et al., 2010). It is also
believed that very high temperatures of
the coffee when ingested may be
associated with UGI tract cancer.
However, no consistent patterns have
emerged.
Coffee beans contain several
phenolic compounds with antioxidant
properties, such as caffeic acid and
chlorogenic acid, partly lost during
roasting (Tavani et al. 2003). These
properties give plausible biological
support to the inverse association
between coffee and oral, pharyngeal,
and esophageal cancer meaning that
they may reduce them.
In addition to antioxidant
properties, caffeine is an important
element in coffee. Caffeine is a natural
plant alkaloid that belongs to a group of
purine-based compounds referred to as
methylxanthines (Ganmaa et al., 2008).
Speculation that caffeine may increase
breast cancer risk followed reports that
women with benign breast disease
experienced symptom relief after
eliminating methylxanthines from their
diet (Ganmaa et al., 2008). Coffee is also
rich in phenolic compounds, including
lignans. These lignans can be converted
into enterolactone and enterodiol
Study and
Year
Study
Design
Study
Population
Type of cancer
Tavani et al.
(2003)
Case-
Control
Study
Italy and
Switzerland
Oral, Pharyngeal,
and Esophageal
Cancer
Tang et al.
(2009)
Meta-
analysis
United States,
Japan,
Canada,
Czech,
Uruguay,
Sweden and
Norway
Lung Cancer
Ganmaa et
al. (2008)
Long-
Term
Cohort
Study
United States Breast Cancer
Ren et al.
(2010)
Cohort
Study
United States Upper
Gastrointestinal
Tract Cancer
Mongraw-
Chaffin et
al.
(2008)
Cohort
Study
United States Testicular Cancer

3. potentially reducing the risk of certain
cancers (Ganmaa et al. 2008).
It has been previously reported,
that pregnant women who drank coffee
may decrease the risk of their sons’
acquiring cryptorchidism or
undescended testicle. Maternal coffee
consumption might also decrease the
risk of testicular cancer. (Mongraw-
Chaffin et al., 2008).
Conclusion
None of the five examined
studies reviewed have consistent
results. This topic, is a debatable one,
because there is little literature
available concerning it and many seem
to be contradictory.
Most of the results were
expressed as: coffee may increase or
decrease. The lack of direct, precise and
quantified results, plus the limited
literature, leaves the researcher with a
general idea of what the real reason for
these results may be.
Overall, coffee has been found in
most cases, to help prevent the risk of
acquiring different types of cancer.
Mainly because of coffee’s antioxidant
capacity due to the presence of both
natural compounds and substances
developed before, during and after
roasting.
Still, more studies have to be
made and published to from where
concrete and more consistent results
can be obtained.
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