High Temperature of Food and Beverage Intake Increases the Risk of Oesophageal Cancer in Xinjiang, China

Background: The north-western region of China has a high incidence of oesophageal cancer. This studyaimed to investigate whether the intake of food and beverage at high temperature is associated with the risk ofoesophageal cancer among adults residing in this remote part of China. Materials and
Methods: A case-controlstudy was undertaken in Urumqi and Shihezi, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China, between 2008 and2009. Participants were 359 incident oesophageal cancer patients and 380 hospital-based controls. Informationon temperature of food and beverage intake was obtained by face-to-face interview. Logistic regression analyseswere performed to ascertain the association between intake temperature and the risk of oesophageal cancer.
Results: The oesophageal cancer patients consumed foods and beverages at higher temperatures than controls,p<0.001. High temperature of tea, water and food intake appeared to increase the risk of oesophageal cancerby more than two-fold, with adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence intervals) of 2.86 (1.73-4.72), 2.82 (1.78-4.47)and 2.26 (1.49-3.45), respectively.
Conclusions: Intake of food and beverage at high temperature was positivelyassociated with the incidence of oesophageal cancer in north-western China.