Carbonated drinks not linked to oesophageal cancer

Intake of carbonated beverages does not lead to the development of oesophageal cancer, even after 20 years of exposure. Previous studies had suggested a link between the increased use of carbonated soft drinks and occurrence of oesophageal adenocarcinoma, but this link was not confirmed. Researchers from the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm examined the data from 189 patients with cancer of the oesophagus, 262 with cancer of the cardia (the place where the stomach and oesophagus meet), as well as 820 healthy controls. All subjects were interviewed about their previous carbonated soft drink consumption. Users of carbonated soft drinks were not at an increased risk of oesophageal cancer as compared to those who never drank them, irrespective of the frequency of consumption. Among high consumers, defined as drinking carbonated soft drinks more than six times per week, there was a trend toward decreased risk of these cancers compared with non-users. Similarly, consumption of carbonated low-alcohol beer did not increase the risk of oesophageal cancer. There was no association between intake of carbonated soft drinks or low-alcohol beer and risk of cancer of the cardia. The study findings give no support for the hypothesis that drinking carbonated soft drinks contributes to the increasing incidence of this cancer. The fact that risk estimates did not change after adjustment for gastro-oesophageal reflux or obesity, the suggested mechanisms, provides further evidence against the hypothesis.