Drinking coffee linked to longer survival in colorectal cancer patients

In a large group of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, consuming a few cups of coffee a day was associated with more prolonged survival and a lower risk of cancer worsening. Researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and other organizations report in a new study.

Based on data from a large observational study nested in a clinical trial, the findings are in line with earlier studies showing a connection between regular coffee consumption and improved outcomes in patients with non-metastatic colorectal cancer. The course is being published today by JAMA Oncology.

The investigators found that in 1,171 patients treated for metastatic colorectal cancer, those who reported drinking two to three cups of coffee a day were likely to live longer overall and had a long time before their disease worsened who didn’t drink coffee. Participants who consumed more considerable amounts of coffee – more than four cups a day – had an even more significant benefit in these measures. The advantages are held for both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee.