Risk of colon cancer and coffee, tea, and sugar-sweetened soft drink intake: pooled analysis of prospective cohort studies.
BACKGROUND
The relationships between coffee, tea, and sugar-sweetened carbonated soft drink consumption and colon cancer risk remain unresolved.


METHODS
We investigated prospectively the association between coffee, tea, and sugar-sweetened carbonated soft drink consumption and colon cancer risk in a pooled analysis of primary data from 13 cohort studies. Among 731 441 participants followed for up to 6-20 years, 5604 incident colon cancer case patients were identified. Study-specific relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models and then pooled using a random-effects model. All statistical tests were two-sided.


RESULTS
Compared with nonconsumers, the pooled multivariable relative risks were 1.07 (95% CI = 0.89 to 1.30, P(trend) = .68) for coffee consumption greater than 1400 g/d (about six 8-oz cups) and 1.28 (95% CI = 1.02 to 1.61, P(trend) = .01) for tea consumption greater than 900 g/d (about four 8-oz cups). For sugar-sweetened carbonated soft drink consumption, the pooled multivariable relative risk comparing consumption greater than 550 g/d (about 18 oz) to nonconsumers was 0.94 (95% CI = 0.66 to 1.32, P(trend) = .91). No statistically significant between-studies heterogeneity was observed for the highest category of each beverage consumed (P > .20). The observed associations did not differ by sex, smoking status, alcohol consumption, body mass index, physical activity, or tumor site (P > .05).


CONCLUSIONS
Drinking coffee or sugar-sweetened carbonated soft drinks was not associated with colon cancer risk. However, a modest positive association with higher tea consumption is possible and requires further study.
Zhang
Xuehong
X
Department of Nutrition, Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, 655 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA. pooling@hsphsun2.harvard.edu
Albanes
Demetrius
D
Beeson
W Lawrence
WL
van den Brandt
Piet A
PA
Buring
Julie E
JE
Flood
Andrew
A
Freudenheim
Jo L
JL
Giovannucci
Edward L
EL
Goldbohm
R Alexandra
RA
Jaceldo-Siegl
Karen
K
Jacobs
Eric J
EJ
Krogh
Vittorio
V
Larsson
Susanna C
SC
Marshall
James R
JR
McCullough
Marjorie L
ML
Miller
Anthony B
AB
Robien
Kim
K
Rohan
Thomas E
TE
Schatzkin
Arthur
A
Sieri
Sabina
S
Spiegelman
Donna
D
Virtamo
Jarmo
J
Wolk
Alicja
A
Willett
Walter C
WC
Zhang
Shumin M
SM
Smith-Warner
Stephanie A
SA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002253:Carbonated Beverages / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003069:Coffee / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D019422:Dietary Sucrose / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005060:Europe; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009656:North America; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013549:Sweetening Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D013662:Tea / Q000009:adverse effects*
D003069:Coffee; D019422:Dietary Sucrose; D013549:Sweetening Agents; D013662:Tea
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