TEA AND COFFEE CONSUMPTION AND RISK OF COLON AND RECTAL-CANCER IN MIDDLE-AGED FINNISH MEN

The association between coffee and black tea consumption and the subse quent risk of colon and rectal cancer was investigated within a Finnis h clinical trial cohort. One hundred eleven cases of colon cancer and 83 cases of rectal cancer were diagnosed over a median of 8.0 years of follow-up. Proportional hazards regression models were used to derive adjusted relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for th e association between coffee and tea consumption and cancer incidence. After controlling for confounders, coffee was not significantly assoc iated with colon or rectal cancer. A positive association was seen for increased consumption of tea drinking and colon cancer. Compared with persons who did not drink tea those who consumed < 1 cup/day had an R R of 1.40 (95% CI = 0.84-2.33) and those who consumed greater than or equal to 1 cup/day had an RR of 2. 09 (95% CI = 1.34-3.26 p for trend = 0.001). In contrast, tea consumption had little effect on rectal can cer incidence. This study does not support the hypothesis that coffee and tea prefect against colorectal cancer risk. However, given the str ength of the tea-colon cancer association and the significant gradient of risk we observed across level of intake, further epidemiologic res earch of this relationship in other populations seems warranted.