Apr 06, 2024 20:00:00

Research shows that frequent coffee drinkers have a significantly lower risk of colon cancer recurrence and metastasis, but how many cups a day is best?

Colon cancer is the second most common cancer for both men and women, but because early treatment has a high chance of complete recovery,

it is important not only to detect it early but also to prevent recurrence after the cancer has been cured. Research has shown that people who drink a lot of coffee have a significantly lower risk of colon cancer recurrence.

Coffee consumption is associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer recurrence and all‐cause mortality - Oyelere - International Journal of Cancer - Wiley Online Library
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ijc.34879

Drinking Coffee Dramatically Lowers the Risk of Bowel Cancer Coming Back: ScienceAlert
https://www.sciencealert.com/drinking-coffee-dramatically-lowers-the-risk-of-bowell-cancer-coming-back

Many studies have reported that coffee intake is associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer. However, despite the fact that approximately 20% to 30% of colorectal cancer patients are estimated to experience cancer recurrence, the relationship between coffee, one of the most commonly consumed beverages in the world, and cancer progression was unknown.

To investigate the association between coffee consumption and recurrence, defined as the reappearance or metastasis of colorectal cancer to other sites, a research team led by Abisola M. Oyelere of Wageningen University in the Netherlands analyzed data from a prospective cohort study of 1,719 patients with stage I to III colorectal cancer who answered questions about their diet and other factors. Stage IV patients were excluded because they included people whose cancer had not been cured, and therefore were not relevant to this study on recurrence.

The analysis found that colorectal cancer patients who drank five or more cups of coffee per day were 32% less likely to experience a recurrence of their cancer over a six-year period than those who drank one cup or less per day.

In addition, when the relationship between coffee drinking habits and the risk of death from any cause was analyzed, people who consumed five or more cups of coffee per day had a 29% lower all-cause mortality rate than those who consumed one cup or less, and those who consumed two to four cups of coffee had a 38% lower risk. In other words, the effect of coffee on reducing the risk of death peaked at two to four cups, and drinking five or more cups slightly increased the risk of death.

Based on this, the research team concluded that 'the optimal coffee intake appears to be three to five cups per day, with drinking four cups in particular associated with the lowest risk of death.'

The study did not distinguish between regular coffee and decaffeinated coffee, but decaffeinated coffee is not widely consumed in the Netherlands.

The association between coffee and longevity has also been reported in various other places besides the Netherlands. For example, a 2018

study conducted in the United States found that colorectal cancer patients who consumed four or more cups of coffee per day had a 30% lower risk of death from all causes and a 52% lower risk of death from any stage of colorectal cancer, including stage IV, compared to patients who did not drink coffee at all.

The mechanism by which coffee prevents the recurrence of colon cancer has not been elucidated, but previous research has suggested three main possibilities. The first is that the strong antioxidant effect of coffee activates the mechanism that protects cells from oxidative stress, thereby preventing cancer. The second is that coffee intake may regulate the composition of intestinal bacteria, thereby promoting the prevention and treatment of cancer.

The third possibility is that coffee consumption may improve liver function in colorectal cancer patients and prevent non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which is a risk factor for metastasis to the liver, thereby preventing the metastasis of colorectal cancer. Metastasis of cancer from the colon to the liver is seen in approximately 30% of colorectal cancer patients andis said to account for more than half of the causes of death in colorectal cancer patients.

The research team noted that this observational study does not establish a causal relationship between coffee and cancer, but wrote in the paper, 'Our findings will inform future intervention studies and provide evidence to help develop treatment guidelines for colorectal cancer patients. Further research is needed to fully understand the mechanism by which coffee improves the prognosis of colorectal cancer.'