Coffee and tea drinking in relation to the risk of differentiated thyroid carcinoma: results from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study

Abstract

Purpose Coffee and tea constituents have shown several anti-carcinogenic activities in cellular and animal studies, including against thyroid cancer (TC). However, epidemiological evidence is still limited and inconsistent. Therefore, we aimed to investigate this association in a large prospective study. Methods The study was conducted in the EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) cohort, which included 476,108 adult men and women. Coffee and tea intakes were assessed through validated country-specific dietary questionnaires. Results During a mean follow-up of 14 years, 748 first incident differentiated TC cases (including 601 papillary and 109 follicular TC) were identified. Coffee consumption (per 100mL/day) was not associated either with total differentiated TC risk (HRcalibrated=1.00, 95% CI 0.97-1.04) or with the risk of TC subtypes. Tea consumption (per 100mL/day) was not associated with the risk of total differentiated TC (HRcalibrated=0.98, 95% CI 0.95-1.02) and papillary tumor (HRcalibrated=0.99, 95% CI 0.95-1.03); whereas an inverse association was found with follicular tumor risk (HRcalibrated=0.90, 95% CI 0.81-0.99), but this association was based on a sub-analysis with a small number of cancer cases. Conclusions In this large prospective study, coffee and tea consumptions were not associated with TC risk.

Polyphenol intake and differentiated thyroid cancer risk in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort

“…However, this was probably due to their high content in sugar, 21 and not due to their high content in flavanones, 24 as diabetes is a probable risk factor of TC. 25 In the present study, a diet high in anthocyanidins and theaflavins and low in hydroxycinnamic acids, alkylmethoxyphenols and methoxyphenols was related to a decreased follicular TC risk using the quartiles of exposure, but they were not consistent with the results using the continuous variable or after the Bonferroni correction. 10 In the current study, no associations were observed with phenolic acids, lignans, stilbenes and other minor polyphenol subclasses.…”

“…10 In our study, we did not find any association with flavan-3-ol monomers. This null finding is in line with the lack of associations in EPIC between TC risk and intakes of any fruit group 24 or tea, 25 which are the main food sources of flavan-3-ol monomers. 11 In the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study, a significantly positive association between flavanone intake and TC risk Cox model was stratified by sex, age and center, and additionally adjusted for smoking status, education level, body mass index (kg/m 2 ), physical activity, total energy intake (kcal/d) and alcohol (g/d) intakes and in women also for menopausal status, oral contraceptive use and infertility problems.…”

“…25 Obesity is a low-grade inflammation disease, 28 and excess adiposity 18 and inflammation 29 are risk factors for TC confirmed previously in the EPIC study. In our previous study, weaker associations were also found with coffee consumption in obese individuals.…”

“…10 In the current study, no associations were observed with phenolic acids, lignans, stilbenes and other minor polyphenol subclasses. 25 Tea is the only food source of theaflavins, 11 and tea was borderline statistically and inversely associated with follicular TC risk in the EPIC study. 27 In EPIC, we have previously studied the association between coffee consumption, the main food contributor to phenolic acids 11 and TC risk, and these findings were not significant either.…”

“…Similar null results were found in the US case-control study of lignans. 25 Furthermore, it is difficult to explain the biological plausibility of these opposite associations with tea and coffee polyphenols. 25 In the present study, a diet high in anthocyanidins and theaflavins and low in hydroxycinnamic acids, alkylmethoxyphenols and methoxyphenols was related to a decreased follicular TC risk using the quartiles of exposure, but they were not consistent with the results using the continuous variable or after the Bonferroni correction.…”