Scientists from the Universities of Southampton and Edinburgh analyzed data from 26 previous studies involving a total of about 2.25 million people.
Compared to people who did not drink coffee, those who drank one cup a day had a 20% lower risk of developing cancer. Those who drank two glasses a day had a 35% lower risk, and those who drank five glasses a day had a 50% lower risk. The protective effect of decaffeinated coffee was less pronounced, but still clear. Scientists reported these and other results in an article published in BMJ Open.
"Coffee is thought to have a number of health benefits, and this latest evidence suggests that it may have a significant effect on liver cancer risk," said Oliver Kennedy, lead author of the study. "We are not suggesting that everyone start drinking five cups of coffee a day. More research is needed on the potential harm associated with caffeine. There is also evidence that its use should be avoided in certain groups, such as pregnant women.'
"We have shown that coffee reduces the incidence of cirrhosis and liver cancer in a dose-dependent manner," adds study co-author Professor Peter Hayes. "Coffee has previously been shown to reduce the risk of death from many other causes. We have shown that coffee in moderation can be an excellent natural medicine."
The authors believe the results are important given the increasing incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma worldwide and its poor prognosis.
Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common liver cancer that affects the epithelial cells (hepatocytes) of the liver lobule. The disease is widespread worldwide and accounts for 84-89% of all liver cancers. Every year, liver cell cancer is diagnosed in 600 thousand people of the planet.
