Sugar-sweetened beverages, oral cancer link

The risk of oral cancer could increase with the frequency of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption among women.

In a study published in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, investigators analyzed the incidence of oral cancer among more than 160,000 women who participated in the Nurses’ Health Study and Nurses’ Health Study II.

After a follow-up of 30 years, the investigators found that the women who consumed one or more sugar-sweetened beverages per day had nearly five times the risk of developing oral cancer compared with those who consumed less than one of the beverages per month. The findings persisted after limiting the analysis to just participants without traditional risk factors such as a smoking history and greater drinking habits.

The investigators suggested that components of sugar-sweetened beverages such as high fructose corn syrup could increase the risk of periodontitis, which is associated with oral cancer. The drinks may also result in oral dysbiosis-causing inflammation as well as increases in blood glucose and insulin levels, leading to carcinogenesis. The investigators concluded that larger studies may be needed to validate the findings.

Read more: JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery

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