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Health149 outlets ran this4 min read

Hot drinks triple oesophageal cancer risk, Oxford study finds

Drinking beverages at 65C or above is linked to a threefold increase in risk, researchers say.

AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made

Published Updated
Hot drinks triple oesophageal cancer risk, Oxford study finds

What this story says

  • Drinking beverages at 65C or above triples the risk of oesophageal cancer, a study of nearly one million UK adults found.
  • Consuming six or more hot drinks daily also increases the risk of developing the disease.
  • The overall likelihood of developing oesophageal cancer remains low, even with the increased risk from hot drinks.
  • Other factors such as smoking and alcohol consumption are also significant risk factors for oesophageal cancer.

Who covered it

Left 14%(11)Centre 62%(51)Right 24%(19)

Percentages are shares of the 81 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. 68 of the 149 outlets we know ran this story carry no rating and are not counted in them. Coverage measured .

Trust

42/100

Craft

61/100

Hype

55/100

149 sources · methodology

Drinking very hot beverages, defined as 65C or above, triples the risk of developing oesophageal cancer compared to drinking them warm, according to a study by Oxford University. The research, which analysed data from nearly one million UK adults, also found that consuming six or more hot drinks a day increases the risk.

The study, published in the International Journal of Cancer, suggests that very hot liquids may damage the cells lining the oesophagus as they pass down to the stomach. Despite the increased risk, researchers emphasised that the overall likelihood of developing oesophageal cancer remains low. Other known risk factors for the disease include smoking and alcohol consumption.

Disagreement on temperature definition

The definition of a 'very hot' beverage varies across reports. The Oxford University study defines it as 65C or above, as reported by Cumhuriyet. However, The Independent (US) and The Independent state that the temperature at which coffee and tea is drunk in Western populations is estimated to be around 60C. Insider.gr and Gazzetta.gr report that research shows both temperature and amount affect the likelihood of developing the disease, without specifying a temperature.

Omissions

None of the right-rated digests mention the specific temperature of 65C as the threshold for 'very hot' drinks, which was stated in the Oxford University study and reported by Cumhuriyet. Additionally, none of the right-rated digests mention the specific figure of nearly one million UK adults involved in the study, a detail present in the Cumhuriyet report.

Tags:#HotDrinks#CancerRisk#OesophagealCancer#OxfordUniversity#HealthStudy

Coverage settled. We checked this 64 times and stopped on 14 Sept 2026, 19:00. The figures above are what it finished at.

How each side covered it

Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.

Left

11 rated outlets

  • The left-rated reports focused on the core findings of the Oxford University study. Cumhuriyet, in its full report, detailed that drinking beverages at 65C or above triples the risk of oesophageal cancer and that consuming six or more hot drinks a day also increases the risk. It noted that while the risk is increased, the overall likelihood of developing the cancer remains low, and highlighted other risk factors like smoking and alcohol. The Independent and The Independent (US) both warned readers to let their drinks cool down before drinking to avoid increasing cancer risk, with The Independent (US) noting that the study estimated the temperature for coffee and tea in Western populations to be around 60C.

Centre

51 rated outlets

  • The centre-rated reports led on the finding that drinking beverages at very high temperatures triples the risk of oesophageal cancer compared to drinking them warm. This was based on a study of nearly a million UK adults.
  • The reports stated that this link applies to squamous cell carcinoma, a type of cancer. Euronews quoted a study co-author who advised letting drinks cool to avoid discomfort.
  • Several reports mentioned that the risk is increased by consuming six or more hot drinks daily. Euronews also noted that smoking and drinking alcohol are established lifestyle risks for this cancer.

Right

19 rated outlets

  • Right-rated reports focused on the increased risk associated with drinking very hot beverages. Berlingske.dk stated that 'very hot' coffee and tea triple the risk of oesophageal cancer. GB News reported that drinking hot tea and coffee triples the risk of developing oesophageal cancer, with those drinking very hot beverages facing three times the risk compared to those who let them cool. Khbrknews and Globo also reported that 'very hot' drinks can increase the risk of developing cancer. Latestly highlighted that drinking tea or coffee at very high temperatures may triple the risk compared with warm beverages, and noted experts explain what temperature counts as 'too hot'. Arutz Sheva warned that drinking drinks piping hot leads to a significantly higher risk of oesophageal cancer. Iefimerida.gr reported that those who regularly drank beverages at temperatures above 65C were three times more likely to develop the cancer. India Today noted that this everyday habit could raise cancer risk, with researchers suggesting letting drinks cool may reduce irritation to the food pipe, though the overall risk remains low.

Questions about this coverage

How did the left and right cover Hot drinks triple oesophageal cancer risk, Oxford study finds?
Of the 81 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 14% are rated left, 62% are rated centre, 24% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it, which was 149. The sections above set out what each side emphasised, in its own terms.
Is Hot drinks triple oesophageal cancer risk, Oxford study finds left or right?
Neither side dominates it. Of the 81 rated outlets on this story, 14% are rated left, 62% are rated centre, 24% are rated right, and no side holds the 70% this site would want before calling a field one-sided. A story is not left or right in any case; the outlets that carried it are what carry ratings.
Is the coverage of Hot drinks triple oesophageal cancer risk, Oxford study finds biased?
Hot drinks triple oesophageal cancer risk, Oxford study finds is one event reported by 149 outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.
Which outlets covered Hot drinks triple oesophageal cancer risk, Oxford study finds?
149 that we know of, every one of them listed further up this page with a link to its own report and to what we hold on the publisher. Nothing here is a summary of somebody else's summary: the outlets are named so the original reporting can be read.
What temperature is considered 'very hot' for drinks?
The Oxford University study defines 'very hot' beverages as those at 65C or above. Drinking at this temperature triples the risk of oesophageal cancer compared to drinking them warm. Some reports suggest Western populations drink coffee and tea around 60C.
How much does drinking very hot beverages increase the risk of oesophageal cancer?
Drinking beverages at 65C or above triples the risk of oesophageal cancer compared to drinking them warm. Consuming six or more hot drinks a day also increases this risk.
Is oesophageal cancer common?
No, oesophageal cancer is a rare type of cancer. While drinking very hot beverages increases the risk, the overall likelihood of developing the disease remains low for individuals.
What are other risk factors for oesophageal cancer?
Besides drinking very hot beverages, other significant risk factors for oesophageal cancer include smoking and alcohol consumption. These factors are also highlighted as important considerations for reducing the risk of this cancer.

Read it at the source

149 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.

Left

11
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Centre

51
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Right

19
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Not rated

68
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How did this read?

About the coverage, not about the story. We do not ask whether you agree with what happened — we have no honest use for that answer.

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