Coffee intake does not increase ovarian cancer risk

Drinking coffee, regardless of the variety, appears to have no significant role in the risk of ovarian cancer, according to the findings of a systematic review and meta-analysis.

“Prospective studies on caffeine and different types of coffee intake in relation to the risk of ovarian cancer have shown conflicting results,” the investigators said.

To address this issue, a dose-response meta-analysis of cohort studies was conducted. The following databases were searched to identify relevant studies reported until October 2018: PubMed/Medline, ISI Web of Science, Scopus and Embase.

Included were prospective cohort studies that considered caffeine or different coffee types as the exposure variable and ovarian cancer as the main outcome variable or as one of the outcome variables. Two reviewers independently screened 9,344 publications and extracted the data. Disagreements were resolved by consulting with the principal investigator.

Fourteen cohort studies met the inclusion criteria. A total of 13 effect sizes were combined, but there was no substantial association found between coffee intake and the risk of ovarian cancer (risk ratio [RR], 1.08, 95 percent CI, 0.89–1.33). However, drinking one additional cup of coffee daily was found to be marginally associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer (RR, 1.02, 0.99–1.05; p=0.21; I2, 0.0 percent; p-heterogeneity=0.68).

In addition, there was no statistically significant association seen between caffeine consumption or caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee intake and the risk of ovarian cancer.

A 2008 study which also found no significant association between coffee intake and ovarian cancer incidence suggested that a component of coffee other than caffeine, or in combination with caffeine, may be associated with a higher risk of ovarian cancer in postmenopausal women who drink ≥5 cups of coffee a day. [Cancer Causes Control 2008;19:1365-1372]