Coffee Consumption and Risk of Colorectal Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prospective Studies
Sartini M, Bragazzi N, Spagnolo A, Schinca E, Ottria G, Dupont C, Cristina M · Nutrients · 2019 March 24
DOI 10.3390/nu11030694
Objective
To provide an updated synthesis of the relationship between coffee consumption and the risk of colorectal cancer through a systematic review and meta-analysis of 26 prospective studies.
Conclusions
The study concludes that, overall, there was no significant relationship between coffee consumption and colorectal cancer risk. However, when stratifying for ethnicity, a protective effect was observed in US subjects. For colon cancer, coffee exhibited a protective effect in both men and women combined, as well as in men alone. Ethnicity played a role, with a significant protective effect noted in European men and Asian women. No association was found for rectal cancer. Interestingly, decaffeinated coffee showed a protective effect against colorectal cancer in both men and women. The study highlights the need for further research, especially exploring the relationship between genetic factors and the risk of colorectal cancer associated with coffee consumption.
Critical Appraisal
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Insights
Coffee consumption shows a protective effect against colorectal and colon cancers, particularly among US subjects and European men.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of 26 prospective studies was conducted to explore the relationship between coffee consumption and the risk of colorectal cancer. The studies included in the review were appraised for their quality using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale for Cohort studies, with only one study deemed to be of low quality. The analysis was stratified by ethnicity to determine if this variable could explain the heterogeneity of the studies.
In the discussion of the results, it was found that while coffee consumption didn't show a significant relationship with colorectal cancer overall, when stratified for ethnicity, a protective effect emerged in US subjects. This effect was especially pronounced when looking at colon cancer, with coffee showing a protective effect in men and women combined, and in men alone. When examined by ethnicity, there was a significant protective impact in European men and Asian women. However, there was no significant association found with rectal cancer. Decaffeinated coffee also exhibited a protective effect against colorectal cancer in both men and women combined.
