• Media type: E-Article
  • Title: A very-hot food and beverage thermal exposure index and esophageal cancer risk in Malawi and Tanzania: findings from the ESCCAPE case–control studies
  • Contributor: Masukume, Gwinyai; Mmbaga, Blandina T.; Dzamalala, Charles P.; Mlombe, Yohannie B.; Finch, Peter; Nyakunga-Maro, Gissela; Mremi, Alex; Middleton, Daniel R. S.; Narh, Clement T.; Chasimpha, Steady J. D.; Abedi-Ardekani, Behnoush; Menya, Diana; Schüz, Joachim; McCormack, Valerie
  • imprint: Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2022
  • Published in: British Journal of Cancer
  • Language: English
  • DOI: 10.1038/s41416-022-01890-8
  • ISSN: 0007-0920; 1532-1827
  • Origination:
  • Footnote:
  • Description: <jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:sec> <jats:title>Background</jats:title> <jats:p>Consumption of very-hot beverages/food is a probable carcinogen. In East Africa, we investigated esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) risk in relation to four thermal exposure metrics separately and in a combined score.</jats:p> </jats:sec><jats:sec> <jats:title>Methods</jats:title> <jats:p>From the ESCCAPE case–control studies in Blantyre, Malawi (2017-20) and Kilimanjaro, Tanzania (2015-19), we used logistic regression models adjusted for country, age, sex, alcohol and tobacco, to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for self-reported thermal exposures whilst consuming tea, coffee and/or porridge.</jats:p> </jats:sec><jats:sec> <jats:title>Results</jats:title> <jats:p>The study included 849 cases and 906 controls. All metrics were positively associated with ESCC: temperature of drink/food (OR 1.92 (95% CI: 1.50, 2.46) for ‘very hot’ vs ‘hot’), waiting time before drinking/eating (1.76 (1.37, 2.26) for &lt;2 vs 2–5 minutes), consumption speed (2.23 (1.78, 2.79) for ‘normal’ vs ‘slow’) and mouth burning (1.90 (1.19, 3.01) for ≥6 burns per month vs none). Amongst consumers, the composite score ranged from 1 to 12, and ESCC risk increased with higher scores, reaching an OR of 4.6 (2.1, 10.0) for scores of ≥9 vs 3.</jats:p> </jats:sec><jats:sec> <jats:title>Conclusions</jats:title> <jats:p>Thermal exposure metrics were strongly associated with ESCC risk. Avoidance of very-hot food/beverage consumption may contribute to the prevention of ESCC in East Africa.</jats:p> </jats:sec>
  • Access State: Open Access