Tea consumption and risk of head and neck cancer

PLoS One. 2014 May 5;9(5):e96507. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0096507. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Background: The current study evaluated the association between tea consumption and head and neck cancer (HNC) in Taiwan, where tea is a major agricultural product and a popular beverage.

Methods: Interviews regarding tea consumption (frequency, duration, and types) were conducted with 396 HNC cases and 413 controls. Unconditional logistic regression was performed to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of HNC risk associated with tea drinking, adjusted for sex, age, education, cigarette smoking, betel quid chewing, and alcohol drinking.

Results: A reduced HNC risk associated with tea drinking (OR for every cup per day = 0.96, 95% CI: 0.93-0.99; OR for ≧5 cups per day = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.39-0.94) was observed. The association was especially significant for pharyngeal cancer (OR for every cup per day = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.88-0.98; OR for ≧5 cups per day = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.16-0.66). A significant inverse association between HNC and tea consumption was observed particularly for green tea.

Conclusions: This study suggests that tea drinking may reduce the risk of HNC. The anticancer property of tea, if proven, may offer a natural chemopreventive measure to reduce the occurrence of HNC.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / therapeutic use*
  • Chemoprevention
  • Female
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / epidemiology
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / prevention & control*
  • Humans
  • Logistic Models
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Odds Ratio
  • Risk Assessment
  • Taiwan / epidemiology
  • Tea*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
  • Tea

Grants and funding

This work was funded by the National Health Research Institutes (CA-102-PP-07) and the Establishment of Cancer Research System Excellence Program funded by the Department of Health, Executive Yuan (DOH102-TD-C-111-003, DOH102-TD-C-111-004), Taiwan. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.