Research indicates that bowel cancer patients who consume two to four cups of coffee daily have a reduced chance of their disease recurring. The same study also suggests that such coffee consumption decreases the likelihood of death from any cause, outlining coffee as beneficial for individuals diagnosed with bowel cancer, the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the UK.
Experts have dubbed these findings as hopeful and are considering recommending coffee consumption to bowel cancer patients, should similar results emerge from other studies. Bowel cancer claims approximately 16,500 lives per year, which accounts to 45 deaths per day.
This research included 1,719 bowel cancer patients in the Netherlands and was carried out by Dutch and British scientists. The findings revealed that patients who consumed a minimum of two cups of coffee daily had a reduced risk of recurrence of the disease. Additionally, the research stipulated that the effect correlates with the quantity of coffee consumed – the more a patient drank, the lower the risk of the disease recurring.
Patients who consumed at least five cups per day were reported to be 32% less likely to experience a recurrence of their bowel cancer, compared to those who consumed less than two cups. The study, funded by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), was published in the International Journal of Cancer.
High intake of coffee was also suggested to boost survival rates. Individuals who consumed two or more cups of coffee daily had a lower death risk compared to non-coffee drinkers. Among them, those who had five cups a day reduced their risk of fatality by 29%.
Dr Ellen Kampman, research team leader and Professor of Nutrition and Disease at Wageningen University in the Netherlands, commented that recurrence of the disease, which is experienced by one fifth of patients, can be deadly. She expressed her interest in the study’s suggestion that consuming three to four cups of coffee potentially reduces the recurrence of bowel cancer. Nonetheless, she emphasized that the connection between regular coffee consumption and the disease is indicative of a strong correlation, rather than a causal relationship. The team is optimistic about their findings, especially given the dose-dependent effect of coffee consumption.
Recent studies confirm that coffee could aid in minimising the risk of cancer. A robust body of evidence already exists pointing to the link between decreased risk of liver and womb cancers, and coffee consumption. Additionally, there’s some notable evidence that coffee may have a similar effect in reducing the risk of oral, pharynx, larynx, and skin cancers. The beverage is also known to help reduce the likelihood of developing bowel cancer.
Professor Marc Gunter, a leading researcher on the subject and the chair of cancer epidemiology and prevention at Imperial College London’s School of Public Health, expressed that these latest results were rather unexpected. It remains unclear how coffee influences bowel cancer patients. There is, however, potential optimism in these findings as they might be instrumental in improving the prognosis and survival rate among individuals diagnosed with bowel cancer.
According to Professor Gunter, there are a plethora of biologically active compounds in coffee. They not only entail antioxidative qualities but also might provide protective effects against bowel cancer. Coffee is known to reduce inflammation and insulin levels, factors linked with the development and progression of bowel cancer. This could potentially have positive impacts on gut health. Yet, further research is required to delve deeper into the biology underlying why coffee might enhance bowel cancer prognosis and survival.
Significantly, the WCRF has highlighted chlorogenic acid, also present in kale, as a potentially critical factor in this area. It helps manage glucose levels in the body and regulates insulin levels, which could partly elucidate coffee’s impact on cancer.
Interestingly, the World Health Organisation classified coffee as ‘potentially carcinogenic’ until 2016. The classification was subsequently revised as there was insufficient evidence to substantiate such a claim. It is noteworthy that coffee has evolved from being perceived as a potential cancer risk to being considered a possible deterrent against the disease.