From very hot coffee to high-temperature cooking, what researchers are learning about heat, food preparation and cancer risk.
When we think about cancer risk and diet, we often focus on what we eat and drink.
Red meat. Vegetables. Alcohol. Processed foods. Sugar. Coffee.
But there is another factor that doesn't always get as much attention:
Temperature.
How hot is the food or drink when it enters your body?
How hot was it when it was cooked?
And what happens to food when it is exposed to very high temperatures?
These questions are gaining attention as researchers continue to study the relationship between heat, food preparation and cancer.
A new study led by researchers at the University of Oxford is bringing renewed attention to the temperature of what we drink. Published in the International Journal of Cancer in September 2026, the study analyzed nearly 977,000 adults from the UK Biobank and Million Women Study to examine whether the temperature at which people consumed tea and coffee was associated with esophageal cancer risk. The study found that nearly one million adults who reported drinking their tea or coffee “very hot” had a higher risk of developing a particular type of esophageal cancer than people who preferred their drinks warm.
That does not mean coffee causes cancer.
Instead, the study highlights a bigger concept:
Sometimes, cancer research isn't just about what we consume. It's also about how we prepare it and how hot it is when we consume it.
For men thinking about long term health, including prostate health, that distinction is worth understanding.
Very Hot Beverages and Cancer
The newest research focused on esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, a type of cancer that develops in the lining of the esophagus.
Researchers analyzed data from approximately 977,000 adults participating in large UK health studies. Participants reported whether they generally drank tea or coffee warm, hot or very hot.
After years of follow-up, researchers found that participants who preferred very hot beverages had approximately three times the risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, compared with those who preferred warm beverages.
Those who preferred beverages described as hot had roughly twice the risk.
The findings were specific to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. The researchers did not find the same association between beverage temperature and esophageal adenocarcinoma.
But there is an important point that can easily get lost in a headline:
The study was about temperature, not coffee.
Researchers were not showing that coffee itself causes esophageal cancer.
In fact, the concern surrounding very hot beverages has been studied for years. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified beverages consumed at temperatures above approximately 65°C (149°F) as probably carcinogenic, based on evidence connecting very hot beverages with esophageal cancer.
The proposed explanation is not that coffee contains a cancer causing ingredient.
It is that repeated exposure to very high temperatures may harm the tissue lining the esophagus.
Over time, repeated injury and repair may contribute to cellular changes that increase cancer risk.
Does That Mean You Should Stop Drinking Coffee?
Not necessarily.
The practical takeaway is much simpler:
Let it cool down.
If your coffee or tea is hot enough that you have to carefully sip it to avoid burning your mouth, giving it a few minutes to cool is a reasonable way to reduce repeated exposure to extreme heat.
Heat Can Also Change Food
The temperature of something we consume is only one side of the story.
The other is what happens during cooking.
When certain foods, particularly meat, are exposed to very high temperatures, the cooking process can produce compounds. Researchers are interested in these compounds from a cancer perspective.
Two of the most studied groups are:
Heterocyclic amines (HCAs)
and
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).
These compounds can form when meat is cooked at high temperatures.
The amount produced can depend on factors such as the cooking temperature, cooking time and method.
That means a piece of meat isn't necessarily chemically identical before and after being exposed to intense heat.
What Happens When You Sear or Grill Meat?
Think about a steak.
You put it on a very hot grill or pan.
The outside begins to brown.
Fat and juices hit the cooking surface.
Smoke rises.
The outside becomes darker and, eventually, may become charred.
Those changes aren't simply cosmetic.
High-temperature cooking can create HCAs, while smoke produced when fat and juices drip onto a hot surface or open flame can contain PAHs. These compounds can then come into contact with the surface of the food.
Scientists have studied HCAs and PAHs extensively because some have been shown to damage DNA or cause cancer in laboratory and animal studies.
But once again, the human evidence requires nuance.
Does Grilled or Seared Meat Cause Cancer?
That's not something we can definitively say.
Some observational studies have found associations between eating greater amounts of well-done, fried or barbecued meat and certain cancers, including prostate cancer.
Other studies have not found the same associations.
There are also many variables that make dietary research difficult. People who eat more grilled meat may differ in other ways from people who eat less of it. Their overall diet, physical activity, body weight, alcohol consumption, smoking history and other lifestyle factors can all influence cancer risk.
So, it would be inaccurate to say:
“Eating steak causes prostate cancer.”
A more scientifically responsible statement is:
High-temperature cooking can produce compounds such as HCAs and PAHs, and researchers continue to study whether repeated dietary exposure to these compounds contributes to cancer risk in humans, including prostate cancer.
That's a much different, and much more useful message.
The Prostate Connection
Here at Targeted Science, we focus on Prostate Health.
Researchers have investigated many aspects of diet and lifestyle in relation to prostate cancer, including meat consumption and cooking practices.
But prostate cancer is not caused by one meal.
There is no single food that can be identified as the universal cause of prostate cancer.
Instead, researchers are looking at how long-term patterns of diet, metabolism, inflammation, body composition, genetics and environmental exposures may interact over time.
This Is Where Cancer Prevention Gets Interesting
Cancer prevention can sometimes feel overwhelming.
One headline says coffee is good for you.
Another says coffee may increase a certain cancer risk.
One study says red meat is concerning.
Another finds a weaker association.
Then researchers study how the meat was cooked.
The reality is that cancer is complicated.
Cancer develops through a combination of genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors. Some risk factors are outside our control.
Others aren't.
And the things we can control don't have to be extreme. Sometimes the best health changes are the simplest ones.
Let a scalding hot drink cool down.
Don't intentionally burn your food.
Avoid excessive smoke when grilling.
Eat a varied diet.
Stay physically active.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Don't smoke.
Keep alcohol consumption in check.
And stay current with recommended health screenings.
None of these choices guarantees that someone will avoid cancer.
But together, they can become part of a long-term approach to reducing preventable health risks.
Cancer prevention isn't about finding one food to fear. It's about understanding the exposures that accumulate over time and making reasonable choices where you can.
Take the Next Step for Your Health
Understanding cancer risk is only one part of taking a proactive approach to men's health. If you're interested in learning more about prostate health, use the Targeted Science Prostate Health Action Plan to identify practical questions, habits, and health conversations to discuss with your healthcare provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does hot coffee cause cancer?
Current evidence does not show that coffee itself causes cancer. Research has found an association between consuming very hot beverages and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. The concern is primarily the temperature of the beverage.
How hot is too hot?
The International Agency for Research on Cancer has used approximately 65°C (149°F) as the threshold for beverages considered “very hot” in its cancer classification. The recent UK study, however, relied on participants describing their beverages as warm, hot or very hot rather than measuring the actual temperature of every drink.
Does grilled meat cause prostate cancer?
There is not enough evidence to say that grilled meat causes prostate cancer. Some observational research has reported associations between well-done, fried or barbecued meat and prostate cancer, while other studies have not found consistent relationships.
What are HCAs?
Heterocyclic amines are compounds that can form when muscle meat is exposed to high cooking temperatures. Their formation can increase with higher temperatures and longer cooking times.
What are PAHs?
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons can form when fat and juices drip onto a hot surface or open flame, creating smoke. PAHs can then attach to the surface of food exposed to that smoke.
Should men avoid steak?
There is no need to interpret the current research as a recommendation to eliminate steak. A more practical approach is to consider overall dietary patterns and avoid unnecessary charring and excessive smoke exposure when cooking meat.
Should I stop drinking coffee?
Not based on this research alone. If you drink coffee or tea, allowing it to cool rather than consuming it while it is scalding hot is a simple precaution.
Is cancer caused by what we eat?
Diet is one factor among many that can influence cancer risk. Genetics, age, tobacco, alcohol, body weight, physical activity, environmental exposures and other factors also contribute. Cancer usually cannot be attributed to one food or one behavior.
References
- International Agency for Research on Cancer. IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans, Volume 116: Drinking Coffee, Mate, and Very Hot Beverages. Lyon, France: International Agency for Research on Cancer; 2018.
- Loomis D, Guyton KZ, Grosse Y, et al. Carcinogenicity of drinking coffee, mate, and very hot beverages. The Lancet Oncology. 2016;17(7):877-878.
- International Agency for Research on Cancer. Fact Sheet: Cancer of the Oesophagus and Drinking Very Hot Beverages. Lyon, France: International Agency for Research on Cancer; 2016.
- National Cancer Institute. Chemicals in Meat Cooked at High Temperatures and Cancer Risk. National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
- Cross AJ, Peters U, Kirsh VA, et al. A prospective study of meat and meat mutagens and prostate cancer risk. Cancer Research. 2005;
- Sinha R, Park Y, Graubard BI, et al. Meat and meat-related compounds and risk of prostate cancer in a large prospective cohort study in the United States. American Journal of Epidemiology. 2009;170(9):1165-1177.
- Bylsma LC, Alexander DD. A review and meta-analysis of prospective studies of red and processed meat, meat cooking methods, heme iron, heterocyclic amines and prostate cancer. Nutrition Journal. 2015;14:125.
Medical Disclaimer
This article is intended for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. It should not replace individualized medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional. If you have questions about your personal cancer risk, diet or screening needs, speak with your healthcare provider.
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