Higher Coffee Consumption Tied to Lower Risk for Endometrial Cancer

Increased coffee intake is associated with a lower risk for endometrial cancer (EC), according to a meta-analysis published online Jan. 19 in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research.

Yu Gao, from the Liangxiang Hospital of Beijing, and colleagues conducted a literature review to identify studies evaluating the relationship between coffee drinking and the risk for EC.

Based on 24 included studies (699,234 participants), the researchers found that the pooled relative risk (RR) for endometrial cancer for the highest versus the lowest categories of coffee intake was 0.71. The pooled RRs varied geographically (Europe: RR, 0.74; United States/Canada: RR, 0.71; Japan: RR, 0.40). The inverse association was stronger in caffeinated coffee drinkers (RR, 0.66), individuals with higher body mass index (RR, 0.65), never smokers (RR, 0.68), ever smokers (RR, 0.56), and those who never used hormone replacement therapy (RR, 0.88). There were no significant differences observed based on consumption of filtered or boiled coffee.

"The results may suggest an actual protective link between coffee consumption and anti-endometrial cancer effects," the authors write. "Further studies with large sample sizes are needed to determine subgroups and to obtain more information regarding the benefits of coffee drinking in relation to the risk of endometrial cancer."