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. 2014 May 5;9(5):e96507.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0096507. eCollection 2014.

Tea consumption and risk of head and neck cancer

Cheng-Chih Huang  1 , Wei-Ting Lee  1 , Sen-Tien Tsai  1 , Chun-Yen Ou  1 , Hung-I Lo  1 , Tung-Yiu Wong  2 , Sheen-Yie Fang  1 , Ken-Chung Chen  2 , Jehn-Shyun Huang  2 , Jiunn-Liang Wu  1 , Chia-Jui Yen  3 , Wei-Ting Hsueh  4 , Yuan-Hua Wu  4 , Ming-Wei Yang  4 , Forn-Chia Lin  4 , Jang-Yang Chang  5 , Kwang-Yu Chang  5 , Shang-Yin Wu  3 , Jenn-Ren Hsiao  1 , Chen-Lin Lin  6 , Yi-Hui Wang  7 , Ya-Ling Weng  7 , Han-Chien Yang  7 , Jeffrey S Chang  7
Affiliations

Tea consumption and risk of head and neck cancer

Cheng-Chih Huang et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Background: The current study evaluated the association between tea consumption and head and neck cancer (HNC) in Taiwan, where tea is a major agricultural product and a popular beverage.

Methods: Interviews regarding tea consumption (frequency, duration, and types) were conducted with 396 HNC cases and 413 controls. Unconditional logistic regression was performed to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of HNC risk associated with tea drinking, adjusted for sex, age, education, cigarette smoking, betel quid chewing, and alcohol drinking.

Results: A reduced HNC risk associated with tea drinking (OR for every cup per day = 0.96, 95% CI: 0.93-0.99; OR for ≧5 cups per day = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.39-0.94) was observed. The association was especially significant for pharyngeal cancer (OR for every cup per day = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.88-0.98; OR for ≧5 cups per day = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.16-0.66). A significant inverse association between HNC and tea consumption was observed particularly for green tea.

Conclusions: This study suggests that tea drinking may reduce the risk of HNC. The anticancer property of tea, if proven, may offer a natural chemopreventive measure to reduce the occurrence of HNC.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: JSC serves as the Academic Editor of PLOS ONE. This does not alter the authors' adherence to PLOS ONE Editorial policies and criteria.

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